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Relationships between rainfall, nesting habitat and fecundity of Caiman crocodilus yacare in the Pantanal, Brazil

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

Zilca Campos  and
William Magnusson
Zilca Campos
Affiliation:
EMBRAPA/CPAP Cxp. 109, 79320–900 Corumbá, MS, Brazil
William Magnusson
Affiliation:
INPA/Ecologia Cxp. 487, 69011–970, Manaus, AM, Brazil
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Abstract

Differences in rainfall between years influenced the proportions of different types of nesting habitats of Caiman crocodilus yacare available near water bodies in a region of intermittent rivers (Campo Dora Ranch). In contrast, rainfall had little effect on the proximity of nesting habitat to water bodies in a region of isolated lakes (Nhumirim Ranch). There was a strong positive correlation between female body size and clutch size Snout-vent lengths of females on Campo Dora Ranch were significantly larger than those from Nhumirim Ranch which probably accounts for the larger mean clutch size than in the region of isolated lakes. Hatchling size was correlated with egg size, but there was no relationship between egg size and female size or egg size and clutch size.

Keywords

BrazilCaiman crocodilus yacareclutch sizeCrocodiliafecundityPantanal
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 11 , Issue 3 , August 1995 , pp. 351 - 358
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

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