ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to assess variations of the condition factor (K1) in relation to the gonadosomatic- RGS and energy reserves (hepatosomatic - RWL and liposomatic - RFB relations) of Leptodactylus macrosternum and their relationship to climate variation in the Northeast of Brazil, Caatinga area, state of Paraiba. The animals were captured fortnightly through active collecting, between January and December 2013. Significant differences were observed in the monthly variations of K1, RGS and RFB indices in male and female L. macrosternum over the months of collection. In males, K1 showed no significant relationship with the other variables. In females, RGS values only show notable correlations with RWF and K1 values. K1 values showed significant correlations with all other weight and length ratios. Climate change in the HFOB region showed significant relationships with the variation of the indexes evaluated, with the exception of RWF. The variation of K1, RGS, RWL and RFB values over the months of collection as well as their relation with the local climatic variation, showed a brief reproductive activity for the species.

ABSTRACT In the semi-arid environment, the reproductive success of anurans depends on adaptations in their life cycle, which synchronizes with ideal environmental conditions to maximize the number of offspring. In this study changes in the histological and morphometric aspects of the testes of Leptodactylus macrosternum Miranda-Ribeiro, 1926 are characterized, to evaluate the influence of rainfall and temperature on them. Specimens were collected at Horto Florestal Olho d’Água da Bica - HFOB (06°49’20”S, 36°15’85”W) area, municipality of Cuité, state of Paraíba, Brazil. Search for specimens was active, happened at night, and amounted to 15 days from January to December 2013. The densities of spermatids (primary and secondary), sperm and area of the seminiferous locules of the testes were registered. The influence of climate variables (rainfall and temperature) on the density of primary and secondary spermatids, sperm and locular area were verified using Simple Linear Regression. Primary spermatids had the lowest density in July (57.90 ± 51.54 mm2), with a peak in November (300.32 ± 117.35 mm2); secondary spermatids had the lowest density in December (287.87 ± 79.05 mm2), with a peak in May (135,727.00 ± 301.13 mm2); sperm was in the lowest density in July (237.37 ± 121.10 mm2), with a peak in June (2,270.45 ± 602.62 mm2) and the locular area had the lowest density in December (40,292.9 ± 8,174.20 µm2) and highest density in June (338,875.01 ± 2,262.10 µm2). A notable decrease in sperm density was evident between June and July. That, associated with the observation of a larger locular area in June, allowed us to identify as June as the peak of spermatogenesis and the following month as the most potentially reproductive. The density of secondary spermatids(r = 0.02), sperm (r = 0.21) and locular area (r = 0.01) showed dependency on rainfall whereas only sperm (r = 0.09) showed dependency on temperature. Therefore, we can state that the reproductive cycle of L. macrosternum is potentially continuous, with a reproductive peak in July.