Reproductive dynamics of a tropical freshwater crocodilian: Morelet's crocodile in northern Belize

Journal of Zoology

Volumn 275, Issue 2, 2008, Pages 177-189

  Platt, S G ^a,e   Rainwater, T R ^b,d   Thorbjarnarson, J B ^c   McMurry, S T ^b,f  

^a CLEMSON UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^b TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^c WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY   (United States)

^d Sul Ross State University ^*  (United States)

^e SUL ROSS STATE UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^f OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

Belize; Crocodylus moreletii; Life history; Morelet's crocodile; Nesting ecology

Indexed keywords

CLUTCH SIZE; CROCODILIAN; HATCHING DATE; LIFE HISTORY; NEST SITE; NESTING; REPRODUCTION; SHORELINE;

BELIZE [CENTRAL AMERICA]; CENTRAL AMERICA;

ALLIGATOR; CROCODYLIDAE (ALL CROCODILES); CROCODYLUS MORELETII; PROCYON; PROCYON LOTOR;

EID: 44649157105     PISSN: 09528369     EISSN: 14697998     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2008.00426.x     Document Type: Article

References (102)

1. Abercrombie, C.L., Davidson, D., Hope, C.A. Scott, D.E. (1980). Status of Morelet's crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii) in Belize. Biol. Conserv. 17, 103 113.
2. Alcala-Herrera, J.A., Jacob, J.S., Castillo, M.L.M. Neck, R.W. (1994). Holocene paleosalinity in a Maya wetland, Belize, inferred from the microfaunal assemblage. Quat. Res. 41, 121 130.
3. Allsteadt, J. (1994). Nesting ecology of Caiman crocodilus in Cano Negro, Costa Rica. J. Herpetol. 28, 12 19.
4. Allsteadt, J. Lang, J. (1995). Incubation temperature affects body size and energy reserves of hatchling American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis). Physiol. Zool. 68, 76 97.
5. Alvarez del Toro, M. (1974). Los Crocodylia de Mexico (Estudio Comparativo). Mexico City : Mexico Recursos Naturales Renovables.
6. Astheimer, L.B., Manolis, S.C. Grau, C.R. (1989). Egg formation in crocodiles: avian affinities in yolk deposition. Copeia 1989, 221 224.
7. Bernardo, J. (1996). The particular maternal effect of propagule size, especially egg size: patterns, models, quality of evidence and interpretations. Am. Zool. 36, 216 236.
8. Brazaitis, P. (1973). The identification of living crocodilians. Zoologica 58, 59 88.
9. Brockelman, W.Y. (1975). Competition, the fitness of offspring, and optimal clutch size. Am. Nat. 109, 677 699.
10. Campbell, H.W. (1972a). Preliminary report: status of investigations of Morelet's crocodile in Mexico. Zoologica 57, 135 136.
11. Campbell, H.W. (1972b). Ecological or phylogenetic interpretations of crocodilian nesting habits. Nature 238, 404 405.
12. Campos, Z. (1993). Effects of habitat on survival of eggs and sex ratios of hatchlings of Caiman crocodilus yacare in the Pantanal, Brazil. J. Herpetol. 27, 127 132.
13. Casas-Andreu, G. Rogel-Bahena, A. (1986). Observaciones sobre los nidos y las nidadas de Crocodylus moreletii en Mexico. An. Inst. Cienc. Mar Limnol. Univ. Nac. Autonoma Mexico 12, 232 330.
14. Caughley, G. (1977). Analysis of vertebrate populations. New York : John Wiley & Sons.
15. Cedeño-Vázquez, J.R., Ross, J.P. Calmé, S. (2006). Population status and distribution of Crocodylus acutus and C. moreletii in southeastern Quintana Roo, México. Herpetol. Nat. Hist. 10, 17 30.
16. Cintra, R. (1988). Nesting ecology of the Paraguayan caiman (Caiman yacare) in the Brazilian Pantanal. J. Herpetol. 22, 219 222.
17. Crawshaw, P.G. Jr. (1991). Effects of hunting on the reproduction of the Paraguayan caiman (Caiman yacare) in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso, Brazil. In Neotropical wildlife use and conservation : 145 153. Robinson, J.G. Redford, K.H. (Eds). Chicago : University of Chicago Press.
18. Darch, J.P. (1983). Vegetation associations at Pulltrouser swamp. In Pulltrouser swamp: ancient Maya habitat, agriculture, and settlement in northern Belize : 21 29. Turner, B.L. Harrison, P.D. (Eds). Austin : University of Texas Press.
19. Deeming, D.C. Ferguson, M.W.J. (1989). The mechanism of temperature dependent sex determination in crocodilians: a hypothesis. Am. Zool. 29, 973 985.
20. Dietz, D.C. Hines, T.C. (1980). Alligator nesting in north-central Florida. Copeia 1980, 249 258.
21. Enge, K.M., Percival, H.F., Rice, K.G., Jennings, M.L., Masson, G.R. Woodward, A.R. (2000). Summer nesting of turtles in alligator nests in Florida. J. Herpetol. 34, 497 503.
22. Ferguson, M.W.J. (1985). The reproductive biology and embryology of the crocodilians. In Biology of the reptilia, Vol. 14 : 330 491. Gans, C., Billet, F.S. Maderson, P.F.A. (Eds). New York : John Wiley & Sons.
23. Fleming, D.M., Palmisano, A.W. Joanen, T. (1976). Food habits of coastal marsh raccoons with observations of alligator nest predation. Proc. Annu. Conf. Southeast. Assoc. Game Fish Comm. 30, 348 357.
24. Ford, N.B. Seigel, R.A. (1989). Relationships among body size, clutch size, and egg size in three species of oviparous snakes. Herpetologica 45, 75 83.
25. Frost, M.D. (1974). A biogeographical analysis of some relationships between man, land, and wildlife in Belize (British Honduras). PhD dissertation, Oregon State University, Corvallis.
26. Garel, A., Rainwater, T.R. Platt, S.G. (2005). Triathlon champion attacked by crocodile in Belize. Crocodile Spec. Group Newsletter 24, 8 10.
27. Greer, A.E. (1970). Evolutionary and systematic significance of crocodilian nesting habits. Nature 237, 523 524.
28. Groombridge, B. (1987). The distribution and status of world crocodilians. In Wildlife management: crocodiles and alligators : 9 21. Webb, G.J.W., Manolis, S.C. Whitehead, P.J. (Eds). Sydney : Surrey Beatty & Sons Ltd.
29. Hall, P.M. (1991). Estimation of nesting female crocodilian size from clutch characteristics: correlates of reproductive mode, and harvest implications. J. Herpetol. 25, 133 141.
30. Hall, P.M. Johnson, D.R. (1987). Nesting biology of Crocodylus novaeguineae in the Lake Murray District, Papua, New Guinea. Herpetologica 43, 249 528.
31. Hall, P.M. Portier, K.M. (1994). Cranial morphometry of New Guinea crocodiles (Crocodylus novaeguineae): ontogenetic variation in relative growth of the skull and an assessment of its utility as a predictor of the sex and size of individuals. Herpetol. Monogr. 8, 203 225.
32. Hayes-Odum, L., Bailey, L., Kennedy, T.H., Cowman, D. Reiff, P. (1994). Alligator mississippiensis (American alligator) nests. Herpetol. Rev. 25, 119.
33. Hayes-Odum, L.A., Valdez, D., Lowe, M., Weiss, L., Reiff, P.H. Jones, D. (1993). American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) nesting at an inland Texas site. Tex. J. Sci. 45, 51 61.
34. Hunt, R.H. (1973). Breeding Morelet's crocodile, Crocodylus moreletii at Atlanta Zoo. Int. Zoo Yearbook 13, 103 105.
35. Hunt, R.H. (1975). Maternal behavior by adult Morelet's crocodile, Crocodylus moreletii. Copeia 1975, 763 764.
36. Hunt, R.H. (1977). Aggressive behavior by adult Morelet's crocodile Crocodylus moreletii toward young. Herpetologica 33, 195 201.
37. Hunt, R.H. (1980). Propagation of Morelet's crocodile. In Reproductive biology and diseases of captive reptiles. Contribution to Herpetology, No. 1 : 161 165. Murphy, J.B. Collins, J.T. (Eds). Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Oxford, Ohio.
38. Hunt, R.H. Ogden, J.J. (1991). Selected aspects of the nesting ecology of American alligators in the Okefenokee Swamp. J. Herpetol. 25, 448 453.
39. International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) (2004 2004 IUCN red list of threatened species. (as at 10 November 2007).
40. Jennings, M.L., Percival, H.F. Abercrombie, C.L. (1987). Habitat variables affecting nesting success of the American alligator in Florida. Proc. Annu. Conf. Southeast. Fish Wildl. Agencies 41, 334 342.
41. Joanen, T. McNease, L. (1989). Ecology and physiology of nesting and early development of the American alligator. Am. Zool. 31, 987 998.
42. Joanen, T., McNease, L. Perry, G. (1977). Effects of simulated flooding on alligator eggs. Proc. Annu. Conf. Southeast. Assoc. Fish Wildl. Agencies 31, 334 342.
43. Johnson, W.C. (1983). The physical setting. In Pulltrouser swamp: ancient Maya habitat, agriculture, and settlement in northern Belize : 8 20. Turner, B.L. Harrison, P.D. (Eds). Austin : University of Texas Press.
44. King, R.B. (2000). Analyzing the relationship between clutch size and female body size in reptiles. J. Herpetol. 34, 148 150.
45. Kushlan, J.A. Jacobsen, T. (1990). Environmental variability and reproductive success of Everglades alligators. J. Herpetol. 24, 176 184.
46. Lahti, D.C. (2001). The "edge effect on nest predation" hypothesis after twenty years. Biol. Conserv. 99, 365 374.
47. Lance, V.A. (1987). Hormonal control of reproduction in crocodilians. In Wildlife management: crocodiles and alligators : 409 415. Webb, G.J.W., Manolis, S.C. Whitehead, P.J. (Eds). Sydney : Surrey Beatty & Sons Ltd.
48. Lang, J.W. (1987). Crocodilian behaviour: implications for management. In Wildlife management: crocodiles and alligators : 273 294. Webb, G.J.W., Manolis, S.C. Whitehead, P.J. (Eds). Sydney : Surrey Beatty & Sons Ltd.
49. Larriera, A. Piña, C. (2000). Caiman latirostris (broad-snouted caiman) nest predation: does low rainfall facilitate predator access? Herpetol. Nat. Hist. 7, 73 77.
50. Larriera, A., Piña, C., Siroski, P. Verdade, L.M. (2004). Allometry of reproduction in wild broad-snouted caimans (Caiman latirostris). J. Herpetol. 38, 301 304.
51. Lloyd, D.G. (1987). Selection of offspring size at independence and other size-versus-number strategies. Am. Nat. 129, 800 817.
52. Magnusson, W.E. (1982). Mortality of eggs of the crocodile Crocodylus porosus in northern Australia. J. Herpetol. 16, 121 130.
53. Meerman, J.C. (1992). The status of crocodiles in the eastern Corozal District. Occas. Pap. Belize Nat. Hist. Soc. 1, 1 5.
54. Neill, W.T. (1971). The last of the ruling reptiles: alligators, crocodiles, and their kin. New York : Columbia University Press.
55. Neill, W.T. Allen, R. (1959). Studies on amphibians and reptiles of British Honduras. Contribution No. 1. Silver Springs, FL : Research Division, Ross Allen Reptile Institute.
56. Nichols, J.D. (1989). Population models and crocodile management. In Wildlife management: crocodiles and alligators : 177 187. Webb, G.J.W., Manolis, S.C. Whitehead, P.J. (Eds). Sydney : Surrey Beatty & Sons Ltd.
57. Perez-Higareda, G. (1980). Notes on nesting of Crocodylus moreletii in southern Veracruz, Mexico. Bull. Md. Herpetol. Soc. 16, 52 53.
58. Perez-Higareda, G., Rangel-Rangel, A. Smith, H.M. (1991). Maximum sizes of Morelet's and American crocodiles. Bull. Md. Herpetol. Soc. 27, 37.
59. Piña, C.I., Larriera, A., Medina, M. Webb, G.J.W. (2007). Effects of incubation temperature on the size of Caiman latirostris (Crocodylia: Alligatoridae) at hatching and after one year. J. Herpetol. 41, 205 210.
60. Platt, S.G. (1996). Ecology and status of Morelet's crocodile in Belize. PhD dissertation, Clemson University, Clemson, SC.
61. Platt, S.G., Hastings, R.W. Brantley, C.G. (1995). Nesting ecology of the American alligator in southeastern Louisiana. Proc. Annu. Conf. Southeast. Assoc. Fish Wildl. Agencies 49, 629 639.
62. Platt, S.G. Rainwater, T.R. (2005). A review of morphological characters useful for distinguishing Morelet's crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii) and American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) with an emphasis on populations in the coastal zone of Belize. Bull. Chicago Herpetol. Soc. 40, 25 29.
63. Platt, S.G., Rainwater, T.R., Finger, A.G., Thorbjarnarson, J.B., Anderson, T.A. McMurry, S.T. (2006). Food habits, ontogenetic dietary partitioning and observations of foraging behaviour of Morelet's crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii) in northern Belize. Herpetol. J. 16, 281 290.
64. Platt, S.G., Rainwater, T.R. McMurry, S.T. (2002). Diet, gastrolith acquisition and initiation of feeding among hatchling Morelet's crocodiles in Belize. Herpetol. J. 12, 81 84.
65. Platt, S.G., Rainwater, T.R. McMurry, S.T. (2003). A simple model for estimating the age of Morelet's crocodile embryos. Herpetol. Rev. 34, 121 122.
66. Platt, S.G., Rainwater, T.R., Snider, S., Garel, A., Anderson, T.A. McMurry, S.T. (2007). Consumption of large mammals by Crocodylus moreletii: field observations of necrophagy and interspecific kleptoparasitism. Southwest. Nat. 52, 310 317.
67. Platt, S.G. Thorbjarnarson, J.B. (1997). Status and life history of the American crocodile in Belize. Project Report to United Nations Development Programme, Belize Coastal Zone Management Project (BZE/92/G31), Belize City.
68. Platt, S.G. Thorbjarnarson, J.B. (2000a). Population status and conservation of Morelet's crocodile, Crocodylus moreletii, in northern Belize. Biol. Conserv. 96, 21 29.
69. Platt, S.G. Thorbjarnarson, J.B. (2000b). Nesting ecology of the American crocodile in the coastal zone of Belize. Copeia 2000, 869 873.
70. Powell, J. (1972). The Morelet's crocodile: an unknown quantity. Animal Kingdom 1972, 21 26.
71. Powell, J.H. Jr. (1965). The status of Crocodylus moreleti [sic] in Yucatan. IUCN Bull. 16, 6.
72. Rainwater, T.R., McMurry, S.T. Platt, S.G. (2000). Crocodylus moreletii (Morelet's crocodile). Behavior. Herpetol. Rev. 31, 237.
73. Rainwater, T.R., Platt, S.G. McMurry, S.T. (1998). A population study of Morelet's crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii) in the New River watershed of northern Belize. In Crocodiles: proceedings 14th working meeting of the crocodile specialist group : 206 220. Gland : IUCN - The World Conservation Union.
74. Ray, D.A., Dever, J.A., Platt, S.G., Rainwater, T.R., Finger, A.G., McMurry, S.T., Batzer, M.A., Barr, B., Stafford, P.J., McKnight, J. Densmore, L.D. (2004). Low levels of nucleotide diversity in Crocodylus moreletii and evidence of hybridization with C. acutus. Conserv. Genet. 5, 449 462.
75. Reagan, S.R., Ertel, J.M. Wright, V.R. (2000). David and Goliath retold: fire ants and alligators. J. Herpetol. 34, 475 478.
76. Rejmankova, E., Pope, K.O., Pohl, M.D. Rey-Benayas, J.M. (1995). Freshwater wetland plant communities of northern Belize: implications for paleoecological studies of Maya wetland agriculture. Biotropica 27, 28 36.
77. Riley, J., Stimson, A.F. Winch, J.M. (1985). A review of Squamata ovipositing in ant and termite nests. Herpetol. Rev. 16, 38 43.
78. Ross, J.P. (1996). Application of the new IUCN criteria to crocodilian status evaluation. In Crocodiles: proceedings of the 13th working meeting of the crocodile specialist group : 499 504. Gland, Switzerland : IUCN - The World Conservation Union.
79. Sanderson, I.T. (1941). Living treasure. New York : Viking Press.
80. Schmidt, K.P. (1924). Notes on Central American crocodiles. Fieldiana 12, 79 92.
81. Sigler, L. Gonzalez Blanco, S. (1994). Reproduction of Morelet's crocodile in Mexico city. Crocodile Spec. Group Newsletter 13, 19.
82. Sigler, L. Marina, E.S. (2004). Highest nesting record for Morelet's crocodile, Crocodylus moreletii, in Chiapas, Mexico. Crocodile Spec. Group Newsletter 23, 10.
83. Sinervo, B. (1990). The evolution of maternal investment in lizards: an experimental and comparative analysis of egg size and its effects on offspring performance. Evolution 44, 279 294.
84. Sinervo, B. Licht, P. (1991). Hormonal and physiological control of clutch size, egg size, and egg shape in side-blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana): constraints on the evolution of lizard life histories. J. Exp. Zool. 257, 252 264.
85. Staton, M.A. Dixon, J.R. (1977). Breeding biology of the spectacled caiman, Caiman crocodilus, in the Venezuelan Llanos. Wildl. Res. Report 5, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, DC.
86. Stearns, S.C. (1992). The evolution of life histories. Oxford : Oxford University Press.
87. Taylor, D., Kinler, N. Linscombe, G. (1991). Female alligator reproduction and associated population estimates. J. Wildl. Mgmt. 55, 682 688.
88. Thorbjarnarson, J. (1989). Ecology of the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus). In Crocodiles: their ecology, management, and conservation : 228 258. Hall, P.M. (Ed.). Gland, Switzerland : IUCN - The World Conservation Union.
89. Thorbjarnarson, J. (1992). Crocodiles: an action plan for their conservation. Gland, Switzerland : IUCN Publications.
90. Thorbjarnarson, J. Hernandez, G. (1993). Reproductive ecology of the Orinoco crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius) in Venezuela. I. Nesting ecology and egg and clutch relationships. J. Herpetol. 27, 363 370.
91. Thorbjarnarson, J.B. (1994). Reproductive ecology of the spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus) in the Venezuelan Llanos. Copeia 1994, 907 919.
92. Thorbjarnarson, J.B. (1996). Reproductive characteristics of the order Crocodylia. Herpetologica 52, 8 24.
93. Turner, B.L. (1983). The excavations of raised and channelized fields at Pulltrouser swamp. In Pulltrouser swamp: ancient Maya habitat, agriculture, and settlement in northern Belize : 30 51. Turner, B.L. Harrison, P.D. (Eds). Austin : University of Texas Press.
94. Van Noordwijk, A.J. De Jong, G. (1986). Acquisition and allocation of resources: their influence on variation in life history tactics. Am. Nat. 128, 137 142.
95. Webb, G.J.W., Buckworth, R., Sack, G.C. Manolis, S.C. (1983a). An interim method for estimating the age of Crocodylus porosus embryos. Aust. Wildl. Res. 10, 563 570.
96. Webb, G.J.W. Cooper-Preston, H. (1989). Effects of temperature on crocodiles and the evolution of reptilian oviparity. Am. Zool. 29, 935 971.
97. Webb, G.J.W., Sack, G.C., Buckworth, R. Manolis, S.C. (1983b). An examination of Crocodylus porosus nests in two northern Australian freshwater swamps, with an analysis of embryo mortality. Aust. Wildl. Res. 10, 571 605.
98. Werner, Y.L. (1989). Egg size and shape in near-eastern gekkonid lizards. Isr. J. Zool. 35, 199 213.
99. Windsor, M., Rosado, N., Cherkiss, M., Finger, A., Rainwater, T.R., Platt, S., McMurry, S., Brandt, L. Mazzotti, F. (2002). Management plan for crocodiles in Belize. In Crocodiles: proceedings of the 16th working meeting of the crocodile specialist group : 418. Gland, Switzerland : IUCN - The World Conservation Union.
100. Wink, C.S., Elsey, R.M. Bouvier, M. (1990). Porosity of eggshells from wild and captive pen-reared alligators (Alligator mississippiensis). J. Morphol. 203, 35 39.
101. Zar, J.H. (1996). Biostatistical analysis, 3rd edn. Upper Saddle River, NJ : Prentice-Hall.
102. Zisman, S. (1992). Mangroves in Belize: their characteristics, use, and conservation. Report No. 3, Government Printing Office and Ministry of Natural Resources, Belmopan, Belize.