The relationship between body condition, body composition, and growth in amphibians

Abstract

0.6) with scaled body components, but Fulton’s index was strongly correlated with body length. Scaled mass and residual indices predicted scaled fat relatively well and were uncorrelated with body length. Heavier condition predicted higher growth rates of Columbia spotted frogs, regardless of the index used. Frogs of heavy body condition (90th percentile residual index) grew 0.04 and 0.05 mm/day greater than frogs of light condition (10th percentile) for average length males and females, respectively. Frogs of short body length (10th percentile) grew 0.11 and 0.19 mm/day more than long (90th percentile) males and females, respectively. By examining the relationship between body condition indices and body composition and revealing a link between condition and future growth, our results provide an empirical basis for choosing the most appropriate condition index, as well as a potential link to fitness-related traits.