Vol. 77 (2) 2025

ARTICLES

Influence of the Aquarium Volume on Egg-Laying of the Alpine Newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris)

Oldřich Kopecký

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Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, Humanities and Education, Technical University of Liberec, Studentská 1402/2, Liberec 461 17, CZECH REPUBLIC; E-mail: oldrich.kopecky@tul.cz

https://doi.org/10.71424/azb77.2.002852

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Abstract

Characteristics of reproduction habitat can influence egg-laying in amphibians. Egg-laying variables are studied in experiments focused on reproduction. However, the potential influence of the facility where the animals are housed during experiments is unknown. Therefore, I performed an experiment with a caudate species widely used in behavioural experiments – the Alpine newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris). Sixty-four females were captured in the Czech Republic and divided into two groups after controlled mating. Females from the first group were reared individually in small tanks (volume of 6 dm-3), females from the other – in large tanks (volume of 20 dm-3) and differences in egg-laying variables (the overall number of laid eggs, duration of the egg-laying period and the rate of egg-laying) between these groups were compared. The proportion of females that laid at least one egg (63%) did not differ between the groups. The average number of laid eggs per female was 77 (range 3-176), the mean duration of the egg-laying period (from first to last laid egg) was 15.35 days (range 3-34) and the mean rate of egg-laying was 4.73 eggs laid per day (range 0.40 – 12.40). The volume of tank did not influence these variables; however, the body length of the female (SVL), but not weight, was positively associated with the total number of laid eggs and the rate of egg-laying. We can conclude that an aquarium volume of 6 dm-3 of water is sufficient for individual housing of Alpine newt females and it does not represent any limitation in their reproduction outcomes.

Key words

Amphibians, breeding, Caudata, housing, reproduction

How to Cite
Kopecký O. 2025.Influence of the Aquarium Volume on Egg-Laying
of the Alpine Newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris). Acta Zoologica Bulgarica 77 (2): 249-255.

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