Variation of thermal parameters in two different color morphs of a diurnal poison toad, Melanophryniscus rubriventris (Anura: Bufonidae). 2014

Eduardo A Sanabria, and Marcos Vaira, and Lorena B Quiroga, and Mauricio S Akmentins, and Laura C Pereyra
CONICET, Instituto de Ciencias Básicas, Facultad de Filosofía Humanidades y Artes, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Avenida José Ignacio de la Roza 230 (O), 5400 San Juan, Argentina. Electronic address: sanabria.eduardoa@gmail.com.

We study the variation in thermal parameters in two contrasting populations Yungas Redbelly Toads (Melanophryniscus rubriventris) with different discrete color phenotypes comparing field body temperatures, critical thermal maximum and heating rates. We found significant differences in field body temperatures of the different morphs. Temperatures were higher in toads with a high extent of dorsal melanization. No variation was registered in operative temperatures between the study locations at the moment of capture and processing. Critical thermal maximum of toads was positively related with the extent of dorsal melanization. Furthermore, we founded significant differences in heating rates between morphs, where individuals with a high extent of dorsal melanization showed greater heating rates than toads with lower dorsal melanization. The color pattern-thermal parameter relationship observed may influence the activity patterns and body size of individuals. Body temperature is a modulator of physiological and behavioral functions in amphibians, influencing daily and seasonal activity, locomotor performance, digestion rate and growth rate. It is possible that some growth constraints may arise due to the relationship of color pattern-metabolism allowing different morphs to attain similar sizes at different locations instead of body-size clines.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D001831 Body Temperature The measure of the level of heat of a human or animal. Organ Temperature,Body Temperatures,Organ Temperatures,Temperature, Body,Temperature, Organ,Temperatures, Body,Temperatures, Organ
D002025 Bufonidae The family of true toads belonging to the order Anura. The genera include Bufo, Ansonia, Nectophrynoides, and Atelopus. Bufo,Toads, True,Bufos,Toad, True,True Toad,True Toads
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012880 Skin Pigmentation Coloration of the skin. Skin Color,Skin Tone,Color, Skin,Colors, Skin,Pigmentation, Skin,Pigmentations, Skin,Skin Colors,Skin Pigmentations,Skin Tones,Tone, Skin,Tones, Skin
D014644 Genetic Variation Genotypic differences observed among individuals in a population. Genetic Diversity,Variation, Genetic,Diversity, Genetic,Diversities, Genetic,Genetic Diversities,Genetic Variations,Variations, Genetic
D058974 Phylogeography A field of study concerned with the principles and processes governing the geographic distributions of genealogical lineages, especially those within and among closely related species. (Avise, J.C., Phylogeography: The History and Formation of Species. Harvard University Press, 2000) Phylogenetic Biogeography,Biogeography, Phylogenetic

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