Journal article
Preliminary Mating Analysis of American Crocodiles, Crocodylus acutus, in Las Baulas, Santa Rosa, and Palo Verde National Parks, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
South american journal of herpetology, v 10(1), pp 4-9
01 Apr 2015
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Studying the mating system of wild populations of American crocodiles, Crocodylus acutus, has important conservation implications. We conducted a preliminary analysis of the mating system of C. acutus in Las Baulas (2007 and 2008), Santa Rosa (2007) and Palo Verde (2008 and 2009) National Parks in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. We captured hatchlings during crocodile surveys and analyzed them with nine polymorphic microsatellite loci to determine relatedness values. High relatedness values indicated that full and half siblings were sampled in a single locality and season. We found full siblings between the years that hatchlings were collected in Las Baulas and Palo Verde National Parks, which suggested mate fidelity. The mate fidelity and high relatedness values could be a consequence of the smaller number of adult crocodiles found within these areas or indicative of a small number of dominant males in the populations. Our results support the need to conduct future studies describing the mating system and nesting success within populations of C. acutus. Understanding of these population factors is crucial to the continued success and maintenance of viable populations of C. acutus.
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Details
- Title
- Preliminary Mating Analysis of American Crocodiles, Crocodylus acutus, in Las Baulas, Santa Rosa, and Palo Verde National Parks, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
- Creators
- Kiristin M. Budd - Southern Utah UniversityJames R. Spotila - Drexel UniversityLaurie A. Mauger - Southern Utah University
- Publication Details
- South american journal of herpetology, v 10(1), pp 4-9
- Publisher
- Soc Brasileira Herpetologia
- Number of pages
- 6
- Grant note
- Leatherback Trust Betz Chair of Environmental Sciences at Drexel University Sophie Danforth Conservation Biology Fund from the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Rhode Island
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- [Retired Faculty]
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000353777500002
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84929083269
- Other Identifier
- 991019168420004721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Zoology