A lotic‐breeding salamander (Hynobius kimurae) modifies physiological and morphological traits during wintering

Abstract

Unlike other migratory salamanders, Hynobius kimurae moves to aquatic hibernacula during fall. Does submergence into water during fall induce changes in physiological and morphological traits? We investigated whether such changes occur in both sexes from the entrance into the water (November) to the exit from the water (May) in the laboratory. Mean duration of stay in the water was 21.7 weeks in males and 19.0 weeks in females. Spermiation began 13.8 weeks after the males entered the water. Sperm storage lasted for 6.3 weeks. Spawning occurred 18.3 weeks after the females entered the water. Cloacae swelled greatly soon after the sexes entered the water. In males after entering the water, tail shape changed from sticklike to finlike. Although physiological and morphological traits in other species change simultaneously in both the submergence into water and the onset of breeding activity only during spring, such changes occurred in individual H. kimurae firstly during fall (shortly after entering the water) and secondly during spring (shortly after awaking from hibernation). This difference suggests that these two‐step changes during a prolonged period (fall–spring) are concentrated in a short period of aquatic‐breeding activity during spring in other species with terrestrial hibernation and associated reproductive cycles.