Geographical variation in the reproduction and sexual dimorphism of the Boddaert's tropical racer, Mastigodryas boddaerti (Serpentes: Colubridae)

We obtained data on time of sexual maturity, dimorphism, fecundity and on the reproductive cycle of Mastigodryas boddaerti (Sentzen, 1796) through the examination of 321 preserved specimens, of which 221 were collected in the Brazilian Amazon region and 100 in the Cerrado savannas of Central Brazil....

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Published in:Zoologia (Curitiba, Brazil) Brazil), 2013-10, Vol.30 (5), p.475-481
Main Authors: Siqueira, Débora M., Nascimento, Loana P., Montingelli, Giovanna G., Santos-Costa, Maria Cristina dos
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amazonia
Animal reproduction
Biogeography
Cerrado
Colubridae
ecology
Eggs
Fecundity
Females
Mastigodryas boddaerti
morphology
population
Reproductive cycle
Seasonal variations
Serpentes
Sexual maturity
Snakes
ZOOLOGY
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Summary:We obtained data on time of sexual maturity, dimorphism, fecundity and on the reproductive cycle of Mastigodryas boddaerti (Sentzen, 1796) through the examination of 321 preserved specimens, of which 221 were collected in the Brazilian Amazon region and 100 in the Cerrado savannas of Central Brazil. The degree of sexual size dimorphism (snout-vent length, SVL) was significantly greater in the specimens from the Cerrado in comparison with those from the Amazon. Females had a significantly larger number of ventral scales, on average, whereas males had more sub-caudal scales. However, there was no intersexual difference in tail length or head width, although the heads of the males were significantly longer, which may reflect dietary differences. Breeding females from the Amazon region contained between one and six eggs (N = 12, mean = 3.0), whereas two females from the Cerrado had four to six eggs (N = 10, mean = 5.0). No relationship was found between the SVL of the Amazonian females and the number of eggs or vitellogenic follicles they contained (Cerrado females were not analyzed here due to small sample size). Males are smaller than their female counterpart when they reach sexual maturity. Even though females from the Amazon reproduce throughout the year, females from the Cerrado breed seasonality. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:1984-4670
1984-4689
1984-4689
DOI:10.1590/S1984-46702013000500002