Dynamics of the body proportion of the putty frog in the flooded biotopes of the Irtysh river

Abstract:

Sharp-faced frogs are not well studied in Kazakhstan. The study focused on the morphological features of sharp-faced frogs, and the influence of helminths on the growth and development of amphibians. Special attention is paid to the dynamics of the body proportion of the sharp-faced frog in the soldered biotopes of the Irtysh river. The aim of the paper was the analysis batrachorhina measurements from 2007 to 2013 year. All data are statistically processed and reflected in the table. It is revealed that intensive infection of Rana arvalis with the pulmonary fluke Haplometra cylindracea was observed in 2007-2009 summer. This may have caused the selective death of young animals in 2008-2009. The length and body indices of sharp-faced frogs, as well as factors affecting their size are analyzed. The study analyzed many species of tailless amphibians and the decrease in the relative length of limbs as they move North may be due to thermoregulation, as the researchers suggest. The research suggestted that the population of frogs was partially or significantly replenished by migrating individuals – due to a drop in their number because of an increase in infection with highly pathogenic helminth and the absence of the Irtysh river flood from 2010 to 2012.

Key words: sharp-faced frog, amphibia, batrachological measurements, population, biotopes.