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Vol. 42 No. 1, 2003
Elevational Variation in Reproductive and Life History Traits of Sauter’s Frog Rana sauteri Boulenger, 1909 in Taiwan
Su-Ju Lai1,2, Yeong-Choy Kam3 and Yao-Sung Lin1,*
1Department of Zoology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106
2Zoology Division, Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute, Chichi, Nantou, Taiwan 552
3Department of Biology, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua, Taiwan 500
Su-Ju Lai, Yeong-Choy Kam and Yao-Sung Lin (2003) Sauter's frog, Rana sauteri
Boulenger, 1909 in the west-central part of the Central Mountain Range
of Taiwan at elevations of 300 to 2360 m showed obvious elevational
clines in reproductive and life cycle traits. With an increase in
elevation, the breeding season and the periods of calling, aggregation,
and egg deposition of mature frogs shifted from fall and winter (Oct.
to Dec.) to spring (May), while the breeding period decreased but the
larval period increased. Also, adult females at high elevations were
larger and produced smaller clutch sizes but larger eggs and tadpoles.
The temperature experiment showed that low temperatures in winter at
high elevations and high temperatures in summer at low elevations are
the primary environmental factors that define the breeding success of
the species. Rana sauteri has
experienced long-term selection by environmental factors (e.g.,
temperature), resulting in populations at high elevations breeding in
spring and populations at low elevations breeding in fall and winter to
ensure that their tadpoles can grow and complete metamorphosis.
Key words: Elevation, Reproduction, Life history, Anuran, Rana sauteri.
*Correspondence: Tel: 886-2-23630231 ext. 2121. Fax: 886-2-23631694. E-mail: yslin@ccms.ntu.edu.tw
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