Reproductive cycle of the squirrel Sciurus variegatoides (Rodentia: Sciuridae) in Costa Rica

Reproductive cycle of the squirrel Sciurus variegatoides (Rodentia: Sciuridae) in Costa Rica

Introduction: the squirrel Sciurus variegatoides is one of the most abundant species of squirrels in Central America, yet little is known about its reproduction. Objective: to determine the reproductive cycle of S. variegatoides in an agricultural area of Costa Rica. Methods: monthly (Dec. 1986 to Jan. 1988), I collected 10 animals at Hacienda Curú, Paquera, Costa Rica. I used scrotum presence, testicle size and length of the uterine horns to assess maturity. The reproductive cycle was based on pregnancy, lactation, courtship, nest construction, and proportion of subadults. Results: I collected a total 135 squirrels; sex ratio was 1,7 males per female; and 22% were subadults, both for males and females. I captured the pregnant females from December to June and represented 42% of the adult females. February and April were marked by courtship and an increase in the construction of nests. I collected lactating females from June to September, when I captured more subadults. Conclusion: There was no evidence of reproductive activity in October and November.

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Main Author: Monge Meza, Javier
Format: Digital revista
Language:spa
Published: Universidad Estatal a Distancia, Costa Rica 2019
Online Access:https://revistas.uned.ac.cr/index.php/cuadernos/article/view/2260
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spelling oai:revistas.investiga.uned.ac.cr:article22602022-09-02T02:20:26Z Reproductive cycle of the squirrel Sciurus variegatoides (Rodentia: Sciuridae) in Costa Rica Ciclo reproductivo de la ardilla Sciurus variegatoides (Rodentia: Sciuridae) en Costa Rica Monge Meza, Javier squirrels reproduction population structure Sciurus variegatoides Costa Rica. ardillas reproducción estructura poblacional Sciurus variegatoides Costa Rica. Introduction: the squirrel Sciurus variegatoides is one of the most abundant species of squirrels in Central America, yet little is known about its reproduction. Objective: to determine the reproductive cycle of S. variegatoides in an agricultural area of Costa Rica. Methods: monthly (Dec. 1986 to Jan. 1988), I collected 10 animals at Hacienda Curú, Paquera, Costa Rica. I used scrotum presence, testicle size and length of the uterine horns to assess maturity. The reproductive cycle was based on pregnancy, lactation, courtship, nest construction, and proportion of subadults. Results: I collected a total 135 squirrels; sex ratio was 1,7 males per female; and 22% were subadults, both for males and females. I captured the pregnant females from December to June and represented 42% of the adult females. February and April were marked by courtship and an increase in the construction of nests. I collected lactating females from June to September, when I captured more subadults. Conclusion: There was no evidence of reproductive activity in October and November. Introducción: la ardilla Sciurus variegatoides es una de las especies más abundantes de ardilla en América Central, sin embargo, poco se sabe sobre su reproducción. Objetivo: determinar el ciclo reproductivo de S. variegatoides en un área agrícola de Costa Rica. Métodos: mensualmente (diciembre de 1986 a enero de 1988) recolecté 10 animales en Hacienda Curú, Paquera, Costa Rica. Usé la presencia de escroto, el tamaño de los testículos y la longitud de los cuernos uterinos para evaluar la madurez. El ciclo reproductivo se basó en la preñez, la lactancia, el cortejo, la construcción de nidos y la proporción de subadultos. Resultados: recogí un total de 135 ardillas, la proporción de sexos fue de 1,7 machos por cada hembra y el 22% fueron subadultos (ambos sexos). Capturé las hembras embarazadas de diciembre a junio y representaron el 42% de las hembras adultas. Febrero y abril estuvieron marcados por cortejo y un aumento en la construcción de nidos. Recolecté las hembras lactantes de junio a setiembre, cuando capturé más subadultos. Conclusión: no hubo evidencia de actividad reproductiva en octubre y noviembre. Universidad Estatal a Distancia, Costa Rica 2019-02-26 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion application/pdf text/html application/epub+zip https://revistas.uned.ac.cr/index.php/cuadernos/article/view/2260 10.22458/urj.v11i2.2260 UNED Research Journal; Vol. 11 No. 2 (2019); 105-111 UNED Research Journal; Vol. 11 Núm. 2 (2019); 105-111 1659-441X 1659-4266 spa https://revistas.uned.ac.cr/index.php/cuadernos/article/view/2260/3023 https://revistas.uned.ac.cr/index.php/cuadernos/article/view/2260/3068 https://revistas.uned.ac.cr/index.php/cuadernos/article/view/2260/3069 Copyright (c) 2019 UNED Research Journal
institution UNED CR
collection OJS
country Costa Rica
countrycode CR
component Revista
access En linea
databasecode rev-cuadernos
tag revista
region America Central
libraryname Centro de Información, Documentación y Recursos Bibliográficos
language spa
format Digital
author Monge Meza, Javier
spellingShingle Monge Meza, Javier
Reproductive cycle of the squirrel Sciurus variegatoides (Rodentia: Sciuridae) in Costa Rica
author_facet Monge Meza, Javier
author_sort Monge Meza, Javier
title Reproductive cycle of the squirrel Sciurus variegatoides (Rodentia: Sciuridae) in Costa Rica
title_short Reproductive cycle of the squirrel Sciurus variegatoides (Rodentia: Sciuridae) in Costa Rica
title_full Reproductive cycle of the squirrel Sciurus variegatoides (Rodentia: Sciuridae) in Costa Rica
title_fullStr Reproductive cycle of the squirrel Sciurus variegatoides (Rodentia: Sciuridae) in Costa Rica
title_full_unstemmed Reproductive cycle of the squirrel Sciurus variegatoides (Rodentia: Sciuridae) in Costa Rica
title_sort reproductive cycle of the squirrel sciurus variegatoides (rodentia: sciuridae) in costa rica
description Introduction: the squirrel Sciurus variegatoides is one of the most abundant species of squirrels in Central America, yet little is known about its reproduction. Objective: to determine the reproductive cycle of S. variegatoides in an agricultural area of Costa Rica. Methods: monthly (Dec. 1986 to Jan. 1988), I collected 10 animals at Hacienda Curú, Paquera, Costa Rica. I used scrotum presence, testicle size and length of the uterine horns to assess maturity. The reproductive cycle was based on pregnancy, lactation, courtship, nest construction, and proportion of subadults. Results: I collected a total 135 squirrels; sex ratio was 1,7 males per female; and 22% were subadults, both for males and females. I captured the pregnant females from December to June and represented 42% of the adult females. February and April were marked by courtship and an increase in the construction of nests. I collected lactating females from June to September, when I captured more subadults. Conclusion: There was no evidence of reproductive activity in October and November.
publisher Universidad Estatal a Distancia, Costa Rica
publishDate 2019
url https://revistas.uned.ac.cr/index.php/cuadernos/article/view/2260
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AT mongemezajavier cicloreproductivodelaardillasciurusvariegatoidesrodentiasciuridaeencostarica
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