Asymmetry of Testes in Guenther's Frog, Hylarana guentheri (Anuar: Ranidae)

作者：Liu Yanhong; Liao Wenbo^*; Zhou Caiquan; Mi Zhiping; Mao Min

来源：Asian Herpetological Research, 2011, 2(4): 234-239.

DOI：10.3724/SP.J.1245.2011.00234

• directional testes asymmetry
• compensation hypothesis
• body condition
• Hylarana guentheri

Testes size in most animals commonly shows directional asymmetry. In birds, the left testis mass is usually larger than the right one, but the reports on the testes asymmetry in anurans are very few. Moller (1994) hypothesized that the right testis serves a compensatory role and increases in size when the left one is defective, and further suggested that testes asymmetry may be a reliable indicator of individual body condition. In this paper, we tested the compensation hypothesis in the Guenther's frog, Hylarana guentheri. From 60 sampled males, we found that there was a significant directional asymmetry in testes mass, with the left testis size being significantly correlated with relative testes asymmetry, providing evidence that the right testis had a compensatory function. However, testes mass and asymmetry were not correlated with body condition. Hence, we found no evidence that testes asymmetry in the Guenther's frog reflected male condition, and male age was also not related to testes mass or asymmetry.

• 出版日期2011-12-25
• 单位西华师范大学