Life History Traits and Longevity of the Invasive Asian Common Toad <i>Duttaphrynus melanostictus</i> (Schneider, 1799) in Madagascar
We analyzed the body length, age structure, and age at sexual maturity of the invasive Asian common toad <i>Duttaphrynus melanostictus</i> from different sites in Toamasina, east Madagascar. We used skeletochronology as a proxy for age estimation, while gonads were histologically analyze...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/13/2099 |
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| author | Fabio Maria Guarino Franco Andreone Marcello Mezzasalma Fulvio Licata Simona Puoti Bárbara Santos Walter Cocca Jean Francois Solofoniaina Fidy Serge Herilala Ndriantsoa Jean Noel Tsanta Fiderana Rakotonanahary Rodino Fetrarijahona Harison Gaetano Odierna Angelica Crottini |
| author_facet | Fabio Maria Guarino Franco Andreone Marcello Mezzasalma Fulvio Licata Simona Puoti Bárbara Santos Walter Cocca Jean Francois Solofoniaina Fidy Serge Herilala Ndriantsoa Jean Noel Tsanta Fiderana Rakotonanahary Rodino Fetrarijahona Harison Gaetano Odierna Angelica Crottini |
| author_sort | Fabio Maria Guarino |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We analyzed the body length, age structure, and age at sexual maturity of the invasive Asian common toad <i>Duttaphrynus melanostictus</i> from different sites in Toamasina, east Madagascar. We used skeletochronology as a proxy for age estimation, while gonads were histologically analyzed to determine the age of sexual maturity. The analysis of pooled age data from three sites investigated in 2016 showed that both sexes were larger, although not older, than those of native populations. For the individuals from Madagascar, the males were significantly smaller and younger (mean ± SD, SVL: 71.4 ± 1.6 mm; age: 1.8 ± 0.7 years) than the females (SVL: 78.42 ± 1.9 mm; age: 2.7 ± 1.3 years), when the data were pooled, but when the data were analyzed separately for each of the three sites, similar results were obtained only for one site. The oldest recorded male and female were 3 and 6 years old, respectively. Gonadal histology showed that the males and females reach sexual maturity after the first and second years of age, respectively. Further studies are needed to understand if the larger size and faster growth rates observed in the invasive population of <i>D. melanostictus</i> in Madagascar are a consequence of more favorable environmental conditions with respect to the native range (e.g., the availability of larger trophic niches, a lack of competitors, and lower predatory pressure), and we suggest to extend the monitoring of these life history traits to understand how they might influence the invasion. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:49:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cc9a13f7c9724064970b231af5e13840 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:49:26Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-cc9a13f7c9724064970b231af5e138402023-11-18T16:02:57ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-06-011313209910.3390/ani13132099Life History Traits and Longevity of the Invasive Asian Common Toad <i>Duttaphrynus melanostictus</i> (Schneider, 1799) in MadagascarFabio Maria Guarino0Franco Andreone1Marcello Mezzasalma2Fulvio Licata3Simona Puoti4Bárbara Santos5Walter Cocca6Jean Francois Solofoniaina Fidy7Serge Herilala Ndriantsoa8Jean Noel9Tsanta Fiderana Rakotonanahary10Rodino Fetrarijahona Harison11Gaetano Odierna12Angelica Crottini13Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, I-80126 Naples, ItalyMuseo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Via G. Giolitti, 36, I-10123 Torino, ItalyDepartment of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science (DiBEST)—University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci 4/B, I-87036 Rende, ItalyCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, PortugalDepartment of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, I-80126 Naples, ItalyCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, PortugalMadagascar Fauna and Flora Group, BP 442, Toamasina 501, MadagascarDépartement de Biologie Animale, Université d’Antananarivo, BP 906, Antananarivo 101, MadagascarMadagascar Fauna and Flora Group, BP 442, Toamasina 501, MadagascarTurtle Survival Alliance, BP 8511, Antananarivo 101, MadagascarInstitut Supérieur de Science, Environnement et Développement Durable (ISSEDD), Université de Toamasina, Toamasina 501, MadagascarDepartment of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, I-80126 Naples, ItalyCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, PortugalWe analyzed the body length, age structure, and age at sexual maturity of the invasive Asian common toad <i>Duttaphrynus melanostictus</i> from different sites in Toamasina, east Madagascar. We used skeletochronology as a proxy for age estimation, while gonads were histologically analyzed to determine the age of sexual maturity. The analysis of pooled age data from three sites investigated in 2016 showed that both sexes were larger, although not older, than those of native populations. For the individuals from Madagascar, the males were significantly smaller and younger (mean ± SD, SVL: 71.4 ± 1.6 mm; age: 1.8 ± 0.7 years) than the females (SVL: 78.42 ± 1.9 mm; age: 2.7 ± 1.3 years), when the data were pooled, but when the data were analyzed separately for each of the three sites, similar results were obtained only for one site. The oldest recorded male and female were 3 and 6 years old, respectively. Gonadal histology showed that the males and females reach sexual maturity after the first and second years of age, respectively. Further studies are needed to understand if the larger size and faster growth rates observed in the invasive population of <i>D. melanostictus</i> in Madagascar are a consequence of more favorable environmental conditions with respect to the native range (e.g., the availability of larger trophic niches, a lack of competitors, and lower predatory pressure), and we suggest to extend the monitoring of these life history traits to understand how they might influence the invasion.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/13/2099Amphibiainvasive speciesskeletochronologyage estimationgonadal analysisage at sexual maturity |
| spellingShingle | Fabio Maria Guarino Franco Andreone Marcello Mezzasalma Fulvio Licata Simona Puoti Bárbara Santos Walter Cocca Jean Francois Solofoniaina Fidy Serge Herilala Ndriantsoa Jean Noel Tsanta Fiderana Rakotonanahary Rodino Fetrarijahona Harison Gaetano Odierna Angelica Crottini Life History Traits and Longevity of the Invasive Asian Common Toad <i>Duttaphrynus melanostictus</i> (Schneider, 1799) in Madagascar Animals Amphibia invasive species skeletochronology age estimation gonadal analysis age at sexual maturity |
| title | Life History Traits and Longevity of the Invasive Asian Common Toad <i>Duttaphrynus melanostictus</i> (Schneider, 1799) in Madagascar |
| title_full | Life History Traits and Longevity of the Invasive Asian Common Toad <i>Duttaphrynus melanostictus</i> (Schneider, 1799) in Madagascar |
| title_fullStr | Life History Traits and Longevity of the Invasive Asian Common Toad <i>Duttaphrynus melanostictus</i> (Schneider, 1799) in Madagascar |
| title_full_unstemmed | Life History Traits and Longevity of the Invasive Asian Common Toad <i>Duttaphrynus melanostictus</i> (Schneider, 1799) in Madagascar |
| title_short | Life History Traits and Longevity of the Invasive Asian Common Toad <i>Duttaphrynus melanostictus</i> (Schneider, 1799) in Madagascar |
| title_sort | life history traits and longevity of the invasive asian common toad i duttaphrynus melanostictus i schneider 1799 in madagascar |
| topic | Amphibia invasive species skeletochronology age estimation gonadal analysis age at sexual maturity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/13/2099 |
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