Local Intraspecific Variation in Clutch Parameters in the Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum)

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Abstract
Number of eggs per clutch and egg size are compared between local breeding aggregations of the spotted salamander (A. maculatum) collected in Storrs, Connecticut [USA] in 1974. Females bred in either temporary or permanent ponds. Females breeding in a permanent pond produced more eggs per clutch compared to temporary pond females. Females breeding in a temporary pond produced larger eggs relative to permanent pond females. Sex ratios in a temporary and a permanent pond suggested that temporary pond females may skip breeding seasons more often than permanent pond females. These results conform to predictions generated from larval survival characteristics.