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Abstract
Anurans can be classified as explosive or prolonged breeders. In species with short breeding periods, intensive competition for females is expected. We analyse the temporal breeding pattern of Melanophryniscus aff. montevidensis, a bufonid inhabiting grasslands of Argentina, whose breeding is concentrated in events of short duration. Males are active during more than one breeding event per season, whereas most females take part in a single event per season. Active males outnumbered females by up to 14 times at one event, operational sex ratio (OSR) ranged from 0.07 to 0.75 and intensity of sexual selection (I s) from 0.69 to 24. We found a negative association between I s and OSR, but no correlation between number of active males per event and OSR or I s. The OSR is the key that regulates the intensity of sexual selection, nevertheless, and in spite of being explosive breeders, females would potentially have chances to select their mate.
Acknowledgements
Permits for field work were obtained from the Provincial Nature Reserves Authority (Dirección Provincial de Áreas Naturales Protegidas, Buenos Aires). We wish to thank personnel from Ernesto Tornquist Provincial Park, and two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments. Financial support was provided by CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina) and Universidad Nacional del Sur, Argentina.