Effect of body size on reproductive output and diet in Hylarana Baramica

• Main Author: Syafiq Haziq, Azali
• Format: Final Year Project Report
• Language: English
• Published: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, (UNIMAS) 2008
• Subjects: QL Zoology
• Online Access: http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/32809/5/Syafiq%20%28ft%29.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/32809/

This study attempts to determine the effect of body size on reproductive output and diet in Hylarana baramica. A total of 28 individuals, consisting, 21 males and 7 females were dissected to examine ovarian eggs (in case of gravid females) and stomach contents. The effects of reproductive output were defined based on their morphology (snoutvent length and body weight), diets (stomach weight and number of food items) and reproductive output (clutch size, clutch weight and egg size). The results show that body size of females do not influence clutch size (r = 0.823; p =0.0807), clutch weight (r = 0.636; p = 0.249) and egg size (r = 0.103; p = 0.869). There was no relationship between females clutch weight and stomach weight (r = 0.681; p = 0.206), suggesting that gravid female diet is unrelated to reproduction output. Hylarana baramica exhibits sexual size dimorphism, with female outgrowing males. There was no relationship between stomach weight and number of food items consumed to body size in this species, and no relationship between female body size and reproductive output.