EFFECTS OF EGG SIZE ON SUCCESS OF LARVAL SALAMANDERS IN COMPLEX AQUATIC ENVIRONMENTS

Female Ambystoma talpoideum that were 4 yr old produced larger eggs and hatchlings than 1-yr-old females. Differences in body size at hatching persisted through day 49 of the experiment but disappeared by day 129. Larvae from large eggs, and larvae in constant water level ponds, had higher survival to day 129 than larvae from small eggs, and in drying ponds. Larvae from large eggs survived better than larvae from small eggs in constant water level ponds, but not in drying ponds. More individuals metamorphosed from drying ponds than from constant water level ponds. -from Authors