Preliminary results, estimation of SVL and growth of Caiman latirostris and Caiman yacare though phalange diameter

LEONES, G; PIÑA, C. I.; SIMONCINI, M.

Lake Charles

Congreso; XXIII Working Meeting Crocodiles Specialist Group - UICN; 2014

Crocodile Specialist Group (UICN)

Caiman latirostris (C.l.) and Caiman yacare (C.y.) are the only crocodilians species present in Argentina, and both of them are being managed through ranching. Ranching programs need information about population dynamics in order to evaluate the situation of reintroduced individuals. In this study our goal was to identify if phalange diameter of caimans is related to individual size. We captured and measured 51 C.l. and 30 C.y. of different sizes and the last phalange of the third finger (being the inner most finger the first) of the right foot was surgically removed. Once in the laboratory, the bone was cleaned and diameter was measured. We found a linear relationship between phalange diameter and animal SVL, for both species (C.l.: P<0.0001; R2=0.83; C.y.: P<0.0001; R2=0.94). This relationship now needs to be explored (and calibrated) as a tool to measure growth using the growing rings in the phalanges, so only one capture would be needed to estimate previous SVL.