Mating behavior and determinants of male mating success in the gray treefrog, Hyla chrysoscelis

Abstract

We studied mating behavior and male mating success in a population of gray treefrogs (Hyla chrysoscelis) during 1987 and 1988 in western Tennessee. During 1988, individual males called from 1 to 7 nights ([Formula: see text]) and mated 0–4 times ([Formula: see text]). The number of nights that males called or achieved amplexus was not related to body size, but males that called on more nights had a relatively greater chance of mating. There was no significant difference in body size between mated and unmated males on any of the nights tested. Males that mated or called on a previous night were not more likely to achieve amplexus than males that had not mated previously or those that were new to the population. We have no strong evidence to suggest that assortative mating was characteristic of our population or that male–male aggression directly influences female choice.