Abstract

ELGUE, Ernesto  and  MANEYRO, Raúl. Reproductive biology in a Uruguayan population of Elachistocleis bicolor (Guérin-Meneville, 1838) (Anura, Microhylidae). Cuad. herpetol. [online]. 2017, vol.31, n.1, pp.5-10. ISSN 1852-5768.

This paper describes ecological features of the reproductive biology of a population of Elachistocleis bicolor from Uruguay. From a monthly sample obtained throughout a year, we measured mass of the fat bodies and the ovaries, testicular volume, and estimate fecundity. We found evidence of a relationship between reproductive activity and air temperature, although we cannot rule out photoperiod as a regulator mechanism of the reproductive cycle. The dynamics of fat bodies are independent of the reproductive cycle, since their mass does not vary significantly along the year. We found evidence of sexual dimorphism and dichromatism, expressed by females being largest than males and by dark colored vocal sacs of males, although only present in some of them. Fecundity in females increases with body size, however larger females do not invested most of resources in reproduction.

Keywords : Sexual dimorphism; Reproductive investment; Fat bodies.

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