NORTH-WESTERN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 7 (2): 236-242 ©NwjZ, Oradea, Romania, 2011 Article No.: 111129 www.herp-or.uv.ro/nwjz Body size and age of the China Wood Frog (Rana chensinensis) in northeastern China Bing Yao CHEN1,3, Wen Bo LIAO2,3,* and Zhi Ping MI2,3 1. College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210097, China. 2. Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637009, China. 3. Institute of Rare Animals and Plants, China West Normal University, Nanchong 637009, China. *Correspondence at: W.B. Liao, E-mail:
[email protected]. Received: 03. January 2011 / Accepted: 28. July 2011 / Available online: 09. August 2011 Abstract. Age structure and body size of a population of the China Wood Frog (Rana chensinensis) in northeastern China were determined by using skeletochronology. Lines of arrested growth (LAGs) recorded in phalanges were used to estimate the age of adults. Results showed that average age did not differ significantly between males and females. Age at sexual maturity in both sexes was 1 yr. The maximum observed longevity was 5 yrs in males and 4 yrs in females, respectively. Average body size of females was significantly larger than males. A non-significant negative correlation between body size and air temperature was found among the seven populations when the effect of altitude, latitude and age was controlled, suggesting that latitudinal variation in body size of Rana chensinensis across different temperature environment do not follow Bergmann's rule. Key words: skeletochronology, Bergmann's rule, Rana chensinensis, body size, age structure.