Sexual maturation in free-ranging Chilabothrus angulifer (Serpentes: Boidae)

Phyllomedusa: Journal of Herpetology

Ernesto Morell Savall¹  Ruben Marrero²  Tomás M. Rodríguez-Cabrera³  Ana Sanz Ochotorena⁴  Javier Torres López⁴ 

[1] Empresa Nacional para la Conservación de la Flora y la Fauna;Instituto de Ecología y Sistemática. División de Zoología de Vertebrados;Jardín Botánico de Cienfuegos;Universidad de la Habana. Facultad de Biología. Departamento de Biología Animal y Humana;

关键词: Cuba;    Cuban Boa;    endemic snake;    minimum breeding size;    reproductive biology;    West Indies;   

DOI  :  

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The Cuban Boa (C. angulifer) is the only boid snake in Cuba. It is the largest member of the genus, as well as the largest snake in the West Indies (> 400 cm in snout-vent length); as such, it is an iconic species of the Cuban herpetofauna. Although the snake’s natural history is poorly known, several studies describe aspects of its reproductive biology in captivity. Herein we document the sizes and ages at which both sexes reach sexual maturity in nature, and show that the Cuban Boa reaches adulthood at a much smaller size than previously reported for captive snakes. Based on the limited information on the growth rate of C. angulifer in nature, males must reach breeding size after 3 years and females after 5 years

【 授权许可】

Unknown