Field variations in mass at metamorphosis in a stream frog, Odorrana splendida, and their relationship with the stream environment

Animals with complex life cycles, such as amphibians, shift their habitats when they metamorphose. Metamorphosing traits (e.g., size at, and timing of, metamorphosis) at an early stage can affect the growth, reproduction, and survival in the adult stage. Thus, metamorphosing traits are important factors that affect the fitness of the individuals. Although size at metamorphosis in the field has been investigated in amphibians, its relationship with environmental factors has been scarce. We aimed to quantify variations in the mass at metamorphosis of a stream frog, Odorrana splendida, among multiple streams, and show the relationship of these variations with environmental conditions. We searched for metamorphs in 11 field streams and measured their body size. We then examined the relationship between environmental conditions of each stream and the mass at metamorphosis to reveal the factors determining the mass. We found 229 metamorphs over three years. The estimated mass at metamorphosis ranged from 0.17 g to 1.44 g, with a coefficient of variation among streams of 0.38. The size at metamorphosis significantly differed among streams, and was found to be positively affected by water temperature and chlorophyll a concentration, and negatively affected by altitude, slope gradient, and the number of adult calls. We showed that O. splendida has a large variation in mass at metamorphosis within and among natural streams. A lower mass at metamorphosis may correlate with scarce food resources in the stream and higher competition during the larval stages, resulting from a higher number of mating adults.