Total Length Of Females Research Articles

Análise crítica do modelo teórico da curva de maturação (Santos, 1972) através de sua aplicação a Micropogonias furnieri

Dada a simplicidade do método proposto por Santos (1972) para se obter informações sobre tipo e periodicidade das desovas, comprimento de início das sucessivas desovas, fecundidade e curva de crescimento para fêmeas, julgamos oportuno aplica-lo a dados já analisados pela metodologia tradicional para testar o grau de exatidão dos resultados obtidos, uma vez que o mesmo não havia sido testado dentro desse enfoque. O modelo foi aplicado a dados de exemplares de Micropogonias furnieri, população I, cujo ciclo de vida e comportamento reprodutivo são bem estudados. Essa análise demonstrou que os resultados obtidos estão na dependência do critério adotado para grupagem dos dados sobre comprimento total (numero de classes), sendo que os obtidos pela aplicação do mesmo a M. furnieri não concordam com os conhecimentos existentes, provenientes de varios estudos utilizando a metodologia tradicional. Fica evidente que a aplicação indiscriminada do modelo pode levar a conclusões errôneas sobre os varios aspectos englobados pelo mesmo, existindo, assim, serias limitações quanto à sua eficiência quando transferido do plano teórico para o de aplicação a populações naturais.

Algunos Aspectos de la Biologia Reproductiva del Sapito Silbador Leptodactylus fuscus (Schneider) (Amphibia: Leptodactylidae)

AbstractLeptodactylus fuscus nests in the savanna of Calabozo (Guárico, Venezuela) from April to September. Eggs are deposited in foam nests in underground chambers. Details of embryonic and larval development are given. Gravid females contained eggs in three stages of development suggesting more than one clutch per season. Recruiting of young takes place 2½ months after eggs have been laid. There was not significant correlation between the number of eggs and female total length, neither between body volume and volume of ovarian complement. Eleven per cent of the body volumen was occupried by the egg mass. No significant correlation exists between this value and female body size. Peculiarities of the advertisement call of the male and presence of filial cannibalism are discussed.

The effect of temperature on the growth, development and survival of Macropetasma africanus (Balss) (Penaeoidea:Penaeidae) larvae reared in the laboratory

Macropetasma africanus (Balss) has been successfully spawned and its larvae reared under controlled laboratory conditions. The relationship between egg number ( E) and female total length ( L) was E = 18.59 L 2.11. An experiment was designed to test the effect of temperature on larval development, survival and growth. Temperature effected larval development time, from 13–15 days at 25°C, to 25 days at 15°C (nauplius 1 to post-larva). Mortality was low for the naupliar stages at 25, 22 and 18°C, while at 15°C only 52% of the larvae reached nauplius 6. Mortality was highest from nauplius 6 to protozoea 1 (17, 21, and 18% at 25, 22, and 18°C, respectively), but decreased considerably for all temperatures once the mysis stage was reached. Overall survival rates from nauplius 1 to post-larva decreased with decreasing temperature (65, 54, 48, and 39% at 25, 22, 18, and 15°C respectively). Temperature also significantly affected larval growth. At 25°C mean total length was significantly ( P < 0.05) larger than at 15°C (protozoea 2 to post-larva), while from protozoea 3 to post-larva total length differences were significantly different ( P < 0.05) between 18 and 25°C. M. africanus has a major spawning peak in summer, suggesting that there may be a selective advantage to reproducing during the warmer months.

Reproduction in the Mole Kingsnake, Lampropeltis calligaster rhombomaculata (Serpentes, Colubridae)

The eggs and hatchlings of the mole kingsnake, Lampropeltis calligaster rhombomaculata, are described. Various aspects of reproduction are reported, including incubation time, copulation, and courtship behavior in which the female played the active role. The mole kingsnake, Lampropeltis calligaster rhombomaculata, is a medium-sized form occupying a variety of habitats from Baltimore, Maryland, south through the Florida panhandle and west into Mississippi and Tennessee (Conant, 1975). This subspecies has been known for over 100 years, yet very little has been reported concerning reproduction, probably because of its secretive nature and infrequent collection. Brimley (1943) noted that the eggs of this subspecies were much like those of other kingsnakes and remarked on their adherent nature, but he failed to give details concerning clutch and egg size. Grogan and Prince (1971) reported on a group of nine apparent hatchlings plowed up in Maryland on 27 August, and cited one additional reproductive record also from Maryland (Howden, 1946). Subsequent accounts have not provided reproductive data, although hatchlings and juveniles have been described and photographed (Conant, 1975; Mount, 1975). A moderate amount of data are available on the nominate form, L. c. calligaster, from much of its range (see Fitch, 1970, 1979; Wright and Wright, 1957, for a review). Nevertheless, this appears to be the first account describing copulation, egg-laying and hatching in L. c. rhombomaculata. Certain aspects of reproduction observed by us differ from previous accounts on colubrids and are noted. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.35 on Fri, 02 Sep 2016 05:54:46 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms VOLUME 83, NUMBER 2 67 Fig. 1. Adult specimens of Lampropeltis calligaster rhombomaculata. MATERIALS AND METHODS Two Georgia specimens from Clayton County were available (Fig. 1): a male (total length 894 mm, weight 260 g) received as an adult on 1 July 1976, and a captive-hatched (summer, 1975) female (total length 617 mm, weight 84.1 g after oviposition) received 4 April 1976. The snakes were housed individually in various 1 or 2 ft fiberglass enclosures (Hulsey, 1973) both on and off exhibit at the Fort Worth Zoological Park, and were fed on laboratory mice. Temperatures varied from approximately 20'C in winter to 300C in summer. Artificial lighting was provided by 30-watt Vita-lite? fluorescent tubes above the cages from 0800-1730 h daily. Clear skylights provided a natural photoperiod for the Fort Worth, Texas area. The female was isolated prior to oviposition and provided with a nesting box filled with damp sphagnum moss. Eggs were measured with a vernier caliper, weighed on a triple-beam balance, and incubated in a vermiculite medium (Tryon, 1975) at 23-320C. Adults and neonates were measured for snout-vent length and total length using the squeeze-box technique (Quinn and Jones, 1974). Copulation was recorded on 35 mm color transparencies. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.35 on Fri, 02 Sep 2016 05:54:46 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 68 TRANSACTIONS OF THE KANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCES