Maximum body size and age distribution in the Italian Stream Frog, Rana italica Dubois 1987 (Amphibia: Anura)

Abstract

Data on mean longevity and age structure of Rana italica are very scanty. Skeletochronological data com- parisons with other European brown frogs showed that life span of R. italica is similar to those of other congeneric species. In this study we report the age structure of a population of R. italica from Central Italy with a new record of species maximum size. The study population inhabits a perennial stream in a lowland oak wood. All the individuals were marked by means of toe clipping. Skeletochronological analyses showed that adult age ranged from 3 to 5 years in males and from 2 to 6 years in females with no intersexual difference. In our study, the oldest individual (estimated age was 6 years) was also the biggest (68 mm), representing the new body size record for the species. Previous skeletochro- nological studies on R. italica have shown that the mean longevity for this species is four years but the maximum age recorded is 5 and 8 years in low and high elevation populations, respectively. The ages recorded for the study popula -