Further notes on the reproduction of Hydrops caesurus (Serpentes: Colubridae) from Corrientes, Argentina

ETCHEPARE. EDUARDO G.; ZARACHO, VÍCTOR H.; SEMHAN, ROMINA V.; AGUIRRE, ROBERTO

Herpetology Notes

Societas Europaea Herpetologica

Año: 2012 p. 169 - 170

2071-5773

Hydrops caesurus is a mainly aquatic xenodontinae occurring in areas of the Paraná and Plata River basins, from Pantanal in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, through Paraguay and Paraná rivers (Scrocchi et al., 2005).Its natural history is poorly known. in Puerto Tala, Isla Apipé Grande, Corrientes province, Argentina we found a clutch composed of 12 elliptic eggs with coriaceous shell. An egg examined at this moment contained an embryo in stage 26 according to stages of normal development of hamnophis sirtalis. Four eggs were examined on 2, 15 and 22 December 2008 and 1 January 2009. They had embryos in stage 30, 34, 36 and 37, respectively. This would avoid that the eggs get lost during the floods and that the juveniles hatch when the river begins to grow, increasing the food readiness and favoring their dispersion. Therefore, they reproduce in a similar way to other oviparous snakes of the Middle Paraná River.