Comparison of marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus, Pallas 1771) populations living at different regions in terms of age, size and some growth parameters

Specimens of the marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus, Pallas 1771)) were collected from populations in two different regions of Türkiye, their body sizes and weights were measured, and age determinations were made by applying the skeletochronology method. Cross-sections taken from the finger tissues of 84 individuals (43 males, 38 females, 3 juveniles) collected from two different altitudes (Sultansazlığı-Kayseri, altitude: 1074 m; Ulubağ-Şanlıurfa, altitude: 485 m) were analyzed and the age of each individual was determined. In Sultansazlığı population, the maximum age was determined as 11 years for females and 13 years for males. In the Ulubag population, the maximum age reached by females and males was 8 years. In Sultansazlığı population, both males and females reached sexual maturity at the age of 3 years, while in Ulubağ population, males and females reached sexual maturity at the age of 2 and 3 years, respectively. In the specimens analyzed in this study, the snout to vent length (SVL) varied between 51.05 mm and 93.64 mm in females and between 41.64 mm and 91.25 mm in males. It was determined that there was a statistically significant difference between the mean SVL, age and weight values of adult individuals in the populations regardless of sex (Independent sample t test; SVL= t:-13,99, df=82, p<0.001; Weight= t:-6,71, df=82, p<0.001; Age= t:-18,85, df=82, p<0.001). While there was no significant relationship between SVL and age in Sultansazlığı population, there was a significant and positive relationship between body size and age in Ulubağ population.