A skeletochronological study of the smooth newt Lissotriton vulgaris (Amphibia: Urodela) from an island and a mainland population in Turkey

Figures & data

Figure 1. Sampling sites of Lissotriton vulgaris in this study.

Figure 2. Age frequency distributions of (A) the mainland and (B) the island population.

Table I. Descriptive statistics on age (year), snout-venth length (SVL, mm) and body mass (g) of the Lissotriton vulgaris from mainland and island populations.

	Mainland population			Island population
Parameters	n	Mean ± SD	Range	n	Mean ± SD	Range
Males
Age	12	3.2 ± 0.75	2–5	9	3.0 ± 0.50	2–4
SVL	12	31.95 ± 1.75	29.87–35.70	9	31.78 ± 1.59	30.26–34.55
Mass	12	1.69 ± 0.15	1.52–2.10	9	1.50 ± 0.33	1.13–2.30
Females
Age	8	3.87 ± 0.35	3–4	8	2.87 ± 0.35	2–3
SVL	8	35.56 ± 1.40	33.24–36.34	8	32.83 ± 1.73	30.16–34.75
Mass	8	2.02 ± 0.40	1.56–2.60	8	1.49 ± 0.33	1.10–2.25

SD, standard deviation.

Figure 3. A cross-section (17 μm thick) at the diaphysis level of a phalanx of a male Lissotriton vulgaris individual (m.c. = marrow cavity). The four lines of arrested growth (LAGs) are indicated by black arrows.

Table II. Age structure of Lissotriton vulgaris populations in Europe assessed by skeletochronology.

Location (m above sea level)	Sex	N	Mean age (years)	Max age (years)	Age at maturity	SVL (mm) (Mean)	SVL (mm) (Max)	References
Sweden (10–90*)	Male	124	5	10	3	–	49	Hagström (1977)
	Female	96	5	8	3		48
Norway (1–100*)	Male	26	4.3	6	3	–		Dolmen (1982)
England (60–120*)	Male	26	3.5	6	2	45.5	51	Verrell and Francillon (1986)
	Female	24	3.6	5	3	45.1	51
Yugoslavia (990)	Male	18	7.1	9	4	41.2	44.5	Kalezić et al. (1996)
	Female	19	6.9	9	5	43.2	47.2
Italy (sea level) (temporary pond)	Male	11	–	5	2	35	38	Nobili and Accordi (1997)
	Female	16	–	5	2	36	38
Italy (sea level) (permanent pond)	Male	9	–	6	3	40	43
	Female	11	–	5	3	42	46
Ireland (70)	Male	–	4.2	7	3	–	–	Marnell (1998)
	Female	–	4.6	7	3	–	-
Romania (8)	Male	4	–	5	3	–	36.9	Cogalniceanu and Miaud (2003)
	Female	17	4.1	6	3	34.7	39.8
Austria (1282)	Male	9	8.2	11	4–5	46	49	Maletzky et al. (2004)
	Female	9	6.9	9	4–5	47	52
Turkey (3) (island)	Male	9	3	4	2–3	31.8	34.6	This study
	Female	8	2.9	3	2–3	32.8	34.8
Turkey (32) (mainland)	Male	12	3.2	5	2–3	32.0	35.7
	Female	8	3.9	4	2–3	35.6	36.3

SVL, snout-venth length; * concluded from data in the articles.

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