Abstract
The ecology of the crocodilian Paleosuchus trigonatus was studied for 8 years in central Amazonian rainforest using mark-recapture and radio telemetry methods. The population dynamics of the species is mainly influenced by the high survival rates of adults. In this unhunted population, juvenile mortality rates and age at sexual maturity do not appear to be important variables affecting adult densities. Estimated minimum ages at reproduction are 11 years for females and 20 years for males. Juveniles have high rates of dispersal and soon leave natal areas. Adults are sedentary, and in the case of males, are territorial. Adult females have small home ranges that are contained within the home range of at least one male. The limited data indicate that females are more tolerant of conspecifics than are males. Adults have extremely cryptic behavior and cannot be studied by conventional survey methods used for other crocodilians, or in the 1-2 year time frame imposed by most granting agencies. Estimates of the biomass of adults in our study area (34.4-59.6 kg/km2) indicate that P. trigonatus has by far the highest biomass of any large predator in the central Amazonian rainforest.
Published Version
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