The British Herpetological Society

The Herpetological Journal is the Society's prestigious quarterly scientific journal. Articles are listed in Biological Abstracts, Current Awareness in Biological Sciences,Current Contents, Science Citation Index, and Zoological Record.

 ISSN 0268-0130

2021 Impact Factor from Clarivate for the Herpetological Journal is 1.194, an increase of 0.332 from 2020.


pdf 09. A comparison of testes size and sperm length between Polypedates megacephalus populations at different altitudes

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Open Access

pp. 249-252

Authors: Cheng Chen, You You Huang & Wen Bo Liao

Abstract: Variation in temperature and breeding season length caused by altitude has long been considered a major influence on the evolution of life-history traits in amphibians. Here, we examined differences in reproductive investment (testes mass and sperm length) of male spot-legged treefrog (Polypedates megacephalus) from two altitudes (680 m and 1300 m above sea level) in Guizhou Province, western China. Relative testes size from the high-altitude population was larger than that of the low-altitude population, whereas sperm length exhibited a converse cline. Testes mass but not sperm length increased with body size at both altitudes. Our findings suggest that differences in reproductive traits between populations might result from differences in the level of sperm competition.

 

Key words: Altitude, life history, Polypedates megacephalus, sperm length, testes size

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IMPORTANT NOTE - JUNE 2020

Please note that as from Volume 31 Number 1 (January 2021) on, the Herpetological Journal will be available as an online publication only - the last print edition will be Volume 30 Number 4.   

Aligning with this change, it is now no longer possible to purchase a subscription that includes a print copy of the HJ.  All members who have existing HJ print subscriptions that remain active as at end June 2020 will receive the full four 2020 print editions.  New subscribers or renewals after this time will only have option to subscribe to the online only subscription package.  Subscription pricing has been amended to reflect the content changes.