Latitudinal variation in body size in Fejervarya limnocharis supports the inverse of Bergmann’s rule: Supplementary Material

Bergmann’s
rule states that within a species of endotherms smaller individuals are found in warmer conditions, which is consistent for nearly all endotherms,
while in ectotherms body size patterns are less consistent. As ectothermic vertebrates, the morphology of amphibians is likely impacted by climatic
conditions.
Here, we examined latitudinal variation in body size in the ranid frog, <i>Fejervarya limnocharis</i>, based on literature and our own data on mean body size of 3637
individuals from 50 populations and average age of 2873
individuals from 40 populations in China. The
results showed that body size was positively correlated with environmental
temperature, but not with precipitation. Body
size was negatively correlated with latitude among populations in this
species, which supported the inverse of Bergmann’s rule. Our findings suggest
that a larger body size in low-latitude populations is associated
with a longer growing season related to the higher
environmental temperature