Geographic variation in body size and sexual size dimorphism in the giant spiny frog Paa spinosa (David, 1875) (Anura: Ranoidae)

Abstract

We describe the spatial pattern of variation in body size and sexual size dimorphism in the giant spiny frog, Paa spinosa (David, 1875). The study also aims to identify potential factors responsible for geographic morphological variation in the frog. The results indicate that primary production, which positively correlates with precipitation and summer temperature in China, had an important effect on body size of P. spinosa, whereas Bergmann's rule was more efficient to explain the influence of average minimum temperature in January. The species was sexually dimorphic for body size and body shape: the body size, jaw length and forelimb length of males were significantly larger than those of females. Furthermore, the degree of sexual size dimorphism varied geographically, but the relationship between the geographic variation of sexual size dimorphism and the climate was complex. Specifically, absolute sexual size dimorphism was positively correlated with the increased ambient temperature and decreased precipitation.

Keywords:

• Anura
• intraspecific
• geographic variation
• primary production
• Bergmann's rule
• climate

Acknowledgements

This study was supported financially by a Major Program of Science Technology Item of Zhejiang Province (No. 2006C22031) and Science Technology Innovation of Zhejiang Province for Students (No. ZC316009009). We also thank the China Meteorological Service for providing climate data.