Digit ratio in the common spadefoot toad Pelobates fuscus (Anura: Mesobatrachia: Pelobatidae): patterns and correlations
Digit ratio (DR or 2D:4D), an indicator based on the relative length of the second and fourth digits, has been linked to embryonic sex hormone levels and is regarded as a biomarker for ontogenetic changes and evolutionary traits across species. While DR patterns often display a sex bias, they vary a...
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| Format: | Article |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | The European Zoological Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/24750263.2024.2448276 |
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| author | M. Frątczak M. Kaczmarski Ł. Jankowiak J. Klessa K. Bielicki B. Lyskov P. Tryjanowski |
| author_facet | M. Frątczak M. Kaczmarski Ł. Jankowiak J. Klessa K. Bielicki B. Lyskov P. Tryjanowski |
| author_sort | M. Frątczak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Digit ratio (DR or 2D:4D), an indicator based on the relative length of the second and fourth digits, has been linked to embryonic sex hormone levels and is regarded as a biomarker for ontogenetic changes and evolutionary traits across species. While DR patterns often display a sex bias, they vary among taxa: in most mammals and tailed amphibians, females exhibit higher 2D:4D ratio than males, whereas in birds and reptiles, the trend is reversed. However, data on DR in Anuran amphibians remains limited, particularly within the Mesobatrachia, a relatively primitive group. This study investigates DR in the common spadefoot toad (Pelobates fuscus), a little-studied and secretive species, using 68 archival specimens, and two analytic approaches. In the simple correlation approach, there were no significant sex differences in DR in this species. However, when DRs were adjusted allometrically by digit length, regression analysis showed significant effects of both sex (male) and snout–vent length (SVL). Males had significantly larger DRs, mainly 2D:4D and 3D:4D, in all limbs, while SVL had a significant negative effect on most DRs. Further research is needed to clarify the factors influencing DR in amphibians. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7ea941e6578646ab8b725feda9fe3e71 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2475-0263 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The European Zoological Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-7ea941e6578646ab8b725feda9fe3e712025-01-27T10:46:12ZengTaylor & Francis GroupThe European Zoological Journal2475-02632025-12-0192120320910.1080/24750263.2024.2448276Digit ratio in the common spadefoot toad Pelobates fuscus (Anura: Mesobatrachia: Pelobatidae): patterns and correlationsM. Frątczak0M. Kaczmarski1Ł. Jankowiak2J. Klessa3K. Bielicki4B. Lyskov5P. Tryjanowski6Department of Zoology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznan, PolandDepartment of Zoology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznan, PolandDepartment of Ecology and Anthropology, Institute of Biology, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, PolandDepartment of Zoology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznan, PolandDepartment of Zoology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznan, PolandDepartment of Zoology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznan, PolandDepartment of Zoology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznan, PolandDigit ratio (DR or 2D:4D), an indicator based on the relative length of the second and fourth digits, has been linked to embryonic sex hormone levels and is regarded as a biomarker for ontogenetic changes and evolutionary traits across species. While DR patterns often display a sex bias, they vary among taxa: in most mammals and tailed amphibians, females exhibit higher 2D:4D ratio than males, whereas in birds and reptiles, the trend is reversed. However, data on DR in Anuran amphibians remains limited, particularly within the Mesobatrachia, a relatively primitive group. This study investigates DR in the common spadefoot toad (Pelobates fuscus), a little-studied and secretive species, using 68 archival specimens, and two analytic approaches. In the simple correlation approach, there were no significant sex differences in DR in this species. However, when DRs were adjusted allometrically by digit length, regression analysis showed significant effects of both sex (male) and snout–vent length (SVL). Males had significantly larger DRs, mainly 2D:4D and 3D:4D, in all limbs, while SVL had a significant negative effect on most DRs. Further research is needed to clarify the factors influencing DR in amphibians.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/24750263.2024.2448276Amphibianbiomarkerfossorial speciesallometry2D:4D |
| spellingShingle | M. Frątczak M. Kaczmarski Ł. Jankowiak J. Klessa K. Bielicki B. Lyskov P. Tryjanowski Digit ratio in the common spadefoot toad Pelobates fuscus (Anura: Mesobatrachia: Pelobatidae): patterns and correlations The European Zoological Journal Amphibian biomarker fossorial species allometry 2D:4D |
| title | Digit ratio in the common spadefoot toad Pelobates fuscus (Anura: Mesobatrachia: Pelobatidae): patterns and correlations |
| title_full | Digit ratio in the common spadefoot toad Pelobates fuscus (Anura: Mesobatrachia: Pelobatidae): patterns and correlations |
| title_fullStr | Digit ratio in the common spadefoot toad Pelobates fuscus (Anura: Mesobatrachia: Pelobatidae): patterns and correlations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Digit ratio in the common spadefoot toad Pelobates fuscus (Anura: Mesobatrachia: Pelobatidae): patterns and correlations |
| title_short | Digit ratio in the common spadefoot toad Pelobates fuscus (Anura: Mesobatrachia: Pelobatidae): patterns and correlations |
| title_sort | digit ratio in the common spadefoot toad pelobates fuscus anura mesobatrachia pelobatidae patterns and correlations |
| topic | Amphibian biomarker fossorial species allometry 2D:4D |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/24750263.2024.2448276 |
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