The British Herpetological Society

The Herpetological Journal is the Society's prestigious quarterly scientific journal. Articles are listed in Biological Abstracts, Current Awareness in Biological Sciences,Current Contents, Science Citation Index, and Zoological Record.

 ISSN 0268-0130

2021 Impact Factor from Clarivate for the Herpetological Journal is 1.194, an increase of 0.332 from 2020.


pdf 02. Reproductive traits of two sympatric viviparous skinks (Mabuya macrorhyncha and Mabuya agilis) in a Brazilian restinga habitat

975 downloads

Open Access

pp.43-53

Authors: Carlos Frederico Duarte Rocha And Davor Vrcibradic

Abstract: The reproductive cycles, fat body cycles and some life-history traits of the sympatric viviparous skinks Mabuya macrorhyncha and M. agilis were compared in a seasonal "restinga" habitat of south-eastern Brazil. Both male and female reproductive and fat body cycles are very similar between species, with gestation lasting 9-12 months and parturition occurring during the early wet season. Clutch size of M. macrorhyncha was smaller than that of M. agilis. Females mature at a larger size in M. macrorhyncha than in M. agilis, but males of both species appear to mature at similar sizes. In both species, females are larger than males, but the latter have proportionately larger heads. Reproductive traits of M. agilis are typical of Neotropical Mabuya, but those of M. macrorhyncha have some peculiarities, one of which (small clutch size) is believed to result from constraints imposed by its morphological adaptation (i.e. relatively flattened body plan) to bromelicolous habits.

Keywords: Reproduction, life history, Mabuya, Brazilian skink

Download Access:

The latest 8 issues can be downloaded when logged in with a Herpetological Journal subscription membership.

Individual articles can be purchased for download.

Older issues and occasional Open Access articles are available for public download

Submissions:

For further information and submission guidelines please see our Journal Instructions to Authors

pdfBHS Ethics Policy

IMPORTANT NOTE - JUNE 2020

Please note that as from Volume 31 Number 1 (January 2021) on, the Herpetological Journal will be available as an online publication only - the last print edition will be Volume 30 Number 4.   

Aligning with this change, it is now no longer possible to purchase a subscription that includes a print copy of the HJ.  All members who have existing HJ print subscriptions that remain active as at end June 2020 will receive the full four 2020 print editions.  New subscribers or renewals after this time will only have option to subscribe to the online only subscription package.  Subscription pricing has been amended to reflect the content changes.

 

Search Publications