title: Reproductive biology of Thamnodynastes hypoconia (Serpentes: Dipsadidae) in Brazilian subtemperate wetlands.
abstract: This study aimed to describe the reproductive biology of populations of Thamnodynastes hypoconia in subtemperate wetlands based on macroscopic analyses of their gonads. We analyzed 101 specimens from the southernmost regions of Brazil. The males had a greater snout-vent length, but the females reached sexual maturity with a greater body size. The reproductive cycle of the females was seasonal, with secondary vitellogenesis occurring between the winter and spring (May-October). Based on macroscopic analysis of gonads, data suggests that males have a continuous reproductive cycle. Parturition occurs between the late summer and early fall (January-April). The clutch size ranged between 4 and 16 embryos and showed no relationship with the female's body size. The recorded reproductive frequency of T. hypoconia is low (38 %) compared to other phylogenetically related species. Conversely, the studied populations appear to have a high reproductive success because it is an abundant species in the study site.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Zoologia, Laboratório de Herpetologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Agronomia, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Marluci M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rebelato
authors.affiliation: Setor de Herpetologia, Museu de Ciências e Tecnologia da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (MCP), Avenida Ipiranga, 6681, Prédio 40, Partenon, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Gláucia M F
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Pontes
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Ecologia de Vertebrados Terrestres, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, Avenida Unisinos, 950, 93022-000 São Leopoldo, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Alexandro M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Tozetti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D001938:Brazil; D017812:Colubridae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012098:Reproduction; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D053833:Wetlands