Ecology, sexual dimorphism, and jumping evolution in anurans

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary biology
• Comparative anatomy
• Animal locomotion

Background:

• Sexual dimorphism (SD) is widespread in animals, influencing functional traits and performance.
• Anurans exhibit sexual size dimorphism, potentially affecting jumping performance and microhabitat adaptation.
• The interplay of dimorphism, performance, and ecology in anurans is understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the drivers of dimorphic patterns in anuran jumping performance.
• To explore relationships among microhabitat use, body size, and jumping performance in males and females.
• To determine how fecundity and natural selection shape sex-specific jumping performance.

Main Methods:

• Utilized anatomical measurements to predict jumping performance.
• Employed phylogenetic comparative methods to analyze sexual dimorphism.
• Compared body size, muscle volume, and jumping performance between sexes across microhabitats.

Main Results:

• Females were 14% larger than males, but possessed 42% more muscle volume (size-corrected).
• Phylogenetic tests revealed no statistically significant sexual dimorphism for most variables, suggesting relatedness among dimorphic species.
• Female jumping velocity and energy varied significantly across microhabitats, though overall SD of performance did not.

Conclusions:

• Differences in reproductive roles, body size, and morphology drive sex-specific performance.
• Natural and fecundity selection contribute to ecophenotypic diversity in anuran jumping.
• Microhabitat use influences female jumping performance, highlighting ecological pressures on sex-specific traits.