Keywords
parturition
reproduction
neonates
How to Cite
Abstract
In Costa Rica, Bothrops nummifer is located mainly in regions of Premontane Wet Forest in the Atlantic and Pacific versants. Gravid female of B. nummifer from the Atlantic region and from the northern areas of the Central Plateau gave birth between August and November, during the rainy season, whereas gravid females from the Pacific gave birth between Match and June, corresponding to the late dry season and the early season. The mean number of neonates was 23.5 (14-34). The total length of neonates ranged from 18.1 to 22.0 cm and their mass from 7.6 to 11.7 g. The size of the litter correlated significantly with the size of the females. Adult females are sígnificantly longer than males. Open mouth threat behaviour is typical of this species.References
Fitch, H. S. 1982. Reproductive Cycles in Tropical Reptiles. Occas. Papers Mus. Nat. Hist. Univ. Kansas (96): 1-53.
Henderson, R. W. & L. G. Hoevers. 1977. The seasonal incidence of snakes at a locality in northern Belize. Copeia 1977: 349-355.
Hoge, A. R. & S. A. R. W. L. Romano-Hoge. 1978-1979. Poisonous snakes of the World. Part I: Check list of the pit vipers (Viperoidea, Viperidae, Crotalinae). Mem. Inst. Butantan. 42 + 43:179-310.
March, D. D. H. 1929. Notes on Bothrops nummifer. Mano de piedra or Timbo. Bull Antivenim Inst. America 31:27-29.
Murphy, J. B. & L. A. Mitchell. 1984. Miscellaneous notes on the reproductive biology of reptiles. 6. Thirteen varieties of the genus Bothrops (Serpentes, Crotalidae), p. 199-214 In B. Bels & P. van
den Sande (eds.). Maintenance and Reproduction of reptiles in captivity. Vol. I.
Picado, C. 1931. Serpientes venenosas de Costa Rica.
Imprenta Alsina, San José, Costa Rica. 219 p.
Ramírez, P. 1982. Estudio meteorológico de los veranillos
en Costa Rica. Nota de investigación No. 5. Instituto Meteorológico Nacional, Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería, San José.
Rokosky, E. J. 1941. Notes on newborn jumpmg vipers, Bothrops nummifera. Copeia, 1941: 267.
Seigel, R. A. & N. B. Ford. 1987. Reproductive Ecology, p.: 210-252 In R. A. Scigel, J. T. Collins & S. S. Novak (eds.). Snakes: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Macmillan Publishing Company, Nueva York, 529 p.
Shine, R. 1978. Sexual Size Dimorphism and Male Combat in Snakes. Oecología 33: 269-277.
Solórzano, A. & L. Cerdas. 1988a. Biología reproductiva de la cascabel centroamericana Crotalus durissus durissu (Serpentes: Viperidae) en Costa Rica. Rev. Biol. Trop. 36 (2A): 221-226.
Solórzano, A. & L. Cerdas. 1988b. Reproductive Biology and Distribution of the Terciopelo, Bothrops asper (Serpentes: Viperidae) in Costa Rica. Herpetologica (en prensa).
Solórzano, A., J. M. Gutiérrez & L. Cerdas. 1988a. Bothrops ophryomegas Bocourt (Serpentes: Viperidae) en Costa Rica: distribución, lepidosis, variación sexual y cariotipo. Rev. Biol. Trop. 36(A): 187-190.
Taylor, R. T., A. Flores, G. Flores & R. Bolaños. 1974. Geographical Distribution of Viperidae, Elapidae and Hydrophiidae in Costa Rica. Rev. Biol. Trop. 21: 383-397.
Tosi, J. A., Jr. 1969. República de Costa Rica. Mapa Ecológico. Instituto Geográfico Nacional, San José, Costa Rica.
Werman, S. D. 1984. Taxonomic comments on the Costa Rican pit viper. Bothrops picadoi J. Herpetol. 18: 207-210.
Van den Brule, B. 1982. Ofidios venenosos de Guatemala. Serie de Documentos Ocasionales No. 2. Universidad de San Carlos, Guatemala, 73 p.
Villa, J. 1984. The venomous snakes of Nicaragua: A Synopsis. Milwaukee Public. Museum. Contributions in Biology and Geology No. 59: 1-41.
Wilson, L. D. & J. R. Meyer. 1985. Snakes of Honduras. 2nd. Edition. Milwaukee Public Museum. 150 p.
Comments
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 1989 Revista de Biología Tropical