Abstract
This study quantifies the morphometric relationship between total length (TL) and head length (HL) for a sample of 53 Mugger crocodiles (43–280 cm TL) in Iran. Across the size range of crocodiles sampled, the relationship was best described by a linear regression (TL= 15.52 + 6.283HL). The average TL/HL ratio was 7.034, which is similar to that reported for other crocodilian species and confirms its usefulness for estimating TL based on HL during population surveys.
Highlights
Total length and head length relationship in Mugger Crocodiles Crocodylus palustris (Reptilia: Crocodilia: Crocodylidae) in Iran
Researchers working on morphometric relationships of different species of crocodilians have invariably noted that head length (HL) relative to total length (TL) tends to change little across size classes (e.g., Webb & Messel 1978; Magnusson 1983; Webb et al 1983; Montague 1984; Hutton 1987; Verdade 2000; Wu et al 2006; Platt et al 2011; Fukuda et al 2013; Edwards et al 2017)
As with other crocodilians, the relationship between HL and TL in Iranian Muggers was linear and provides a means to estimate size from heads/skulls found in the field or as museum specimens
Summary
Total length and head length relationship in Mugger Crocodiles Crocodylus palustris (Reptilia: Crocodilia: Crocodylidae) in Iran. A small population of around 500 Mugger crocodiles Crocodylus palustris in southeastern Iran occupies the western-most extreme of the species’ global range (de Silva & Lenin 2010). This population is scattered across the region and individuals often come into close contact with local communities (Mobaraki 2015). We aim to quantify the relationship between TL and HL for Iranian Muggers, as well as examining the ratio between these two morphometric measures
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