Growth, maturation and survival of frogs Rana temporaria L.

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Abstract
A total of 1560 breeding frogs were collected in three consecutive years at sites in the west of Ireland. Alt were weighed and measured and the ages of 702 individuals were determined by skeletochronology. The length‐weight relationship differed between gravid females, spent females and males, with the gravid females showing the largest weight gain for any increase in length. The majority of males bred for the first time at two years, but most females delayed maturity until they were a year older. While the two‐year olds were of similar size, the females subsequently grew at a faster rate and achieved larger maximal sizes than the males. However, both sexes exhibited a decelerating growth rate with age. There was no apparent difference between the sexes in post‐maturation survival, which was estimated to be about 50% annually. The oldest frogs were seven years old.