Yingying QI,Wei ZHANG,Li HUANG,et al.Significant Male Biased Sexual Size Dimorphism in Leptobrachium leishanensis[J].Asian Herpetological Research(AHR),2015,6(4):298-304.[doi:10.16373/j.cnki.ahr.150025]
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Significant Male Biased Sexual Size Dimorphism in Leptobrachium leishanensis
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Asian Herpetological Research[ISSN:2095-0357/CN:51-1735/Q]

Issue:
2015 VoI.6 No.4
Page:
298-304
Research Field:
Original Article
Publishing date:
2015-12-25

Info

Title:
Significant Male Biased Sexual Size Dimorphism in Leptobrachium leishanensis
Author(s):
Yingying QI Wei ZHANG Li HUANG Zhenhua LUO Mian ZHAO and Hua WU*
Institute of Evolution and Ecology, International Research Centre of Ecology and Environment, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, Hubei, China
Keywords:
Sexual size dimorphism Leptobrachium leishanensis mating system parental care evolution
PACS:
-
DOI:
10.16373/j.cnki.ahr.150025
Abstract:
Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is a widespread phenomenon among animals, and whose evolution and maintenance has been a central topic in evolutionary biology since Darwin’s time. SSD varies in direction among the major taxonomic groups of animals and even within the same groups. In anurans, female biased SSD is the rule in many lineages, whereas male biased SSD is a rare phenomenon. In this paper, we analyze whether SSD exists in Leptobrachium leishanensis by comparing morphological characteristics between the sexes. Our results show that all six morphological characteristics measured are significantly different between the sexes. Males are significantly larger than females, indicating that the male biased SSD of this species is apparent. The size of the nuptial spines, a special secondary sex trait of males, is significantly and positively correlated with body size. We suggest that the resource defense polygyny mating system and parental care behavior may be explanations for the evolution of male biased SSD and nuptial spine development in this species.

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