Effect of age on reproductive performance of the Boulenger's toad, Bufotes boulengeri (Lataste, 1879) (laboratory studies)

This study investigated the reproductive performance of Bufotes boulengeri . The material analyzed consisted of egg clutches obtained under laboratory conditions from toads of varying ages, ranging from 2 to 7 years. The mean fecundity of female Boulenger's toads was determined to be 2489.4 ± 152.9 eggs (range: 484-4816). The highest fecundity was recorded for 4-year-old females, averaging 3507.6 ± 272.9 eggs. The period of high reproductive activity appears to be between 3 and 6 years of age, after which fecundity declines. Although the egg diameter and egg string width showed variation, no clear age-related trends could be established for these parameters.