Larval development and poor food availability: Local adaptations and plasticity in a widespread amphibian species

Data of fire salamander larvae reared under rich and poor food conditions. Data include also length, growth rate and number of prey attacked by the same larvae for 30 days after metamorphosis.

In this study, we considered two extrinsic factors such as food availability and altitude and we examined their effects on larval growth, timing of metamorphosis and survival in fire salamander larvae. We also investigated whether larval diet has repercussions on growth rate of juvenile salamanders in the month following metamorphosis.

Our experimental study was conducted on 150 newborn fire salamander larvae from 15 epigean sites at different altitudes (ranging between 250 and 1491 m a.s.l.). The larvae of each site were divided into two treatment groups: “poor” and “rich” food conditions.