Genetic Monogamy and Low Reproductive Skew in a Disease‐Impacted, Communal‐Breeding Frog

Abstract

Genetic mating systems shape reproductive skew, mate choice, and effective population size, yet remain poorly understood in many communally breeding amphibians. We used genetic parentage analysis to examine mating structure in the alpine tree frog ( Litoria verreauxii alpina ), a Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis ( Bd ) impacted amphibian that breeds in communal aggregations. Over a 6‐week breeding season, we recorded 477 capture events involving 197 unique adults and observed 55 egg masses. Using DArTseq‐derived SNP markers and COLONY, we reconstructed mating pairs, assessed male breeding success, and estimated effective population size ( N e ). Of the 45 egg masses with at least one successfully genotyped embryo, 97.7% had a definitive sire assigned, and every egg mass with more than one genotyped embryo was assigned to a single sire. Only one sampled male and one inferred female showed evidence of multiple mates, indicating a predominantly genetically monogamous mating structure despite communal breeding. Male reproductive success was not predicted by body size, recapture frequency, or breeding‐season timing. Effective population size was low, suggesting ongoing genetic vulnerability, but relatively even reproductive contribution among breeders may help limit reproductive skew. These findings contrast with expectations for communal‐breeding frogs, where high breeding‐site encounter rates and male‐biased attendance can create opportunities for multiple mating and unequal reproductive success. More broadly, these results show how genetic parentage data can reveal unexpected mating‐system structure in disease‐impacted amphibian populations.

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BibTeX RIS

BibTeX

@article{wendt2026genetic,
  title = {{Genetic Monogamy and Low Reproductive Skew in a Disease‐Impacted, Communal‐Breeding Frog}},
  author = {Alexander S. Wendt and Anthony W. Waddle and Marcus A. Hough and Lee Berger and Lee F. Skerratt and Laura A. Brannelly},
  journal = {Ecology and Evolution},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1002/ece3.74510},
  url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.74510},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}

RIS

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Genetic Monogamy and Low Reproductive Skew in a Disease‐Impacted, Communal‐Breeding Frog
AU  - Alexander S. Wendt
AU  - Anthony W. Waddle
AU  - Marcus A. Hough
AU  - Lee Berger
AU  - Lee F. Skerratt
AU  - Laura A. Brannelly
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/01
JO  - Ecology and Evolution
DO  - 10.1002/ece3.74510
UR  - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.74510
AB  - Genetic mating systems shape reproductive skew, mate choice, and effective population size, yet remain poorly understood in many communally breeding amphibians. We used genetic parentage analysis to examine mating structure in the alpine tree frog ( Litoria verreauxii alpina ), a Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis ( Bd ) impacted amphibian that breeds in communal aggregations. Over a 6‐week breeding season, we recorded 477 capture events involving 197 unique adults and observed 55 egg masses. Using DArTseq‐derived SNP markers and COLONY, we reconstructed mating pairs, assessed male breeding success, and estimated effective population size ( N e ). Of the 45 egg masses with at least one successfully genotyped embryo, 97.7% had a definitive sire assigned, and every egg mass with more than one genotyped embryo was assigned to a single sire. Only one sampled male and one inferred female showed evidence of multiple mates, indicating a predominantly genetically monogamous mating structure despite communal breeding. Male reproductive success was not predicted by body size, recapture frequency, or breeding‐season timing. Effective population size was low, suggesting ongoing genetic vulnerability, but relatively even reproductive contribution among breeders may help limit reproductive skew. These findings contrast with expectations for communal‐breeding frogs, where high breeding‐site encounter rates and male‐biased attendance can create opportunities for multiple mating and unequal reproductive success. More broadly, these results show how genetic parentage data can reveal unexpected mating‐system structure in disease‐impacted amphibian populations.
SN  - 2045-7758
SN  - 2045-7758
ER  -

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