AGE DETERMINATION AND GROWTH PARAMETERS OF <i>TRITURUS ANATOLICUS</i> (CAUDATA: SALAMANDRIDAE)
This study presents data on the demographic structure of Triturus anatolicus in Torkul Lake in the Province of Düzce, Turkey. Field studies were conducted during the peak of the reproductive season from 2017 to 2019. A total of 51 samples (phalangeal bones from 13 males, 35 females and three sub-adults) were collected to determine the demographic structure of the population by skeletochronology. Snout-vent length (SVL) was 72.03 ± 2.79 mm (min-max: 67-78 mm) in males and 73.12 ± 4.59 mm (min-max: 63-84 mm) in females, where the difference was not statistically significant. The sexual dimorphism index was 0.01 and it was found to be female-biased. The mean age of females was 5.94 ± 1.85 years and the mean age of males was 5.77 ± 1.79 years. The minimum reproductive age was three years in both sexes. The maximum observed age was ten years for females and nine years for males. Our results were compared with literature data, and Triturus anatolicus showed a similar pattern on age-structure with cognate species. We found that the high survival rates of the Torkul Lake population (female = 0.81; male = 0.77) may result from a low human interference and favourable climatic conditions.