CICYTTP   12500
CENTRO DE INVESTIGACION CIENTIFICA Y DE TRANSFERENCIA TECNOLOGICA A LA PRODUCCION
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
artículos
Título:
The relationship between nesting habitat and hatching success in Caiman latirotris (Crocodylia, Alligatoridae)
Autor/es:
MONTINI, ,J.P.; PIÑA, C.I.; LARRIERA A.; SIROSKI, P.; VERDADE, L.M.
Revista:
PHYLLOMEDUSA
Referencias:
Año: 2006 vol. 5 p. 91 - 96
ISSN:
1519-1397
Resumen:
The Broad-snouted Caiman uses different
habitats for nesting; it has temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) and nesting
habitat selection by females could affect sex and other hatchlings characteristics. Here
we evaluated reproductive parameters in three nesting habitats: forest, savanna, and
floating vegetation. We collected 154 caiman nests during the summer of 20012002.
Since natural incubation could mask possible clutch-effects, eggs were collected soon
after oviposition and artificially incubated. We found that eggs laid in the forest were
wider than those laid in savanna, hatching success varied, decreasing from floating
vegetation to forest. As egg width is positively correlated to female body size, the
present results suggest that female body size could be related to nesting habitat use
in Caiman latirostris. However, there were no differences in hatchling size among
nesting habitats.Caiman latirostris. However, there were no differences in hatchling size among
nesting habitats.