Multi-omics unveils seasonal remodeling and metabolic crosstalk between testis and abdominal fat body in a non-amplexus stream frog Nanorana taihangnica (Anura: Dicroglossidae)
Energy allocation between reproduction and survival represents a fundamental life-history challenge for animals in seasonal environments. Using integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics, we investigated Nanorana taihangnica (Anura: Dicroglossidae), a non-amplexus stream frog endemic to China, to elucidate the seasonal morphological and molecular coordination between the testis and abdominal fat body. Morphological analysis and multi-omics analyses revealed that N. taihangnica optimizes seasonal energy storage, allocation, and reproductive investment through molecular and metabolic crosstalk between the fat body and testis, providing empirical insights into the physiological integration of life-history strategies in animals inhabiting fluctuating environments.