DOCSLIB.ORG

The Cuban Crocodile, Crocodylus Rhombifer, from Late Quaternary Fossil Deposits on Grand Cayman

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Cuban Crocodile, Crocodylus Rhombifer, from Late Quaternary Fossil Deposits on Grand Cayman Caribbean Journal of Science, Vol. 29, No. 3-4, 153-164, 1993 Copyright 1993 College of Arts and Sciences University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez The Cuban Crocodile, Crocodylus rhombifer, from Late Quaternary Fossil Deposits on Grand Cayman 1 1 2 G ARY S. MORGAN, RICHARD FRANZ, AND RONALD I. CROMBIE 1Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 2Division of Reptiles and Amphibians, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560 ABSTRACT . – Fossil remains of crocodiles have been recovered from six sites on Grand Cayman, a small island in the northwestern Caribbean Sea about 250 km south of Cuba. The three most productive fossil faunas (Chisholm Cow Well, Crocodile Canal, and Furtherland Farms Cow Well) were deposited in aquatic depositional environments, based on the presence of dark organic sediments and the predominance of freshwater and estuarine vertebrates. Radiocarbon dates of 860 ± 50 yBP and 375 ± 60 yBP obtained on peat samples from the Crocodile Canal site confirm that crocodiles inhabited Grand Cayman until the late Holocene, although they are no longer found there. The Grand Cayman fossil sample contains four nearly complete skulls that closely resemble modern specimens of the Cuban crocodile, Crocodylus rhombifer Cuvier. The diagnostic cranial features they share include: comparatively short, broad, and deep rostrum; large orbits; strongly concave cranial roof and interorbital region; prominent ridges on dorsal margin of orbits and lateral edge of postorbital and squamosals, terminating in a rounded protuberance on pos- terolateral corner of squamosals; premaxillary/maxillary suture on palate transverse at level of first max- illary tooth; and 13 maxillary teeth. Most of the fossils in the extensive sample of C. rhombifer from Grand Cayman represent juvenile and subadult individuals. The name of the Cayman Islands is probably derived from the abundance of crocodiles prior to their local extinction during the last century. sources Study (MRCU) of the Cayman Is- INTRODUCTION lands government, Gary Morgan and Morgan and Patton (1979) first reported Richard Franz conducted a paleontological fossil crocodiles in the Cayman Islands survey of the Cayman Islands in January based on a single tooth collected in 1976 and February of 1986. Excavations at the from a small cave at the eastern end of Chisholm Cow Well and Furtherland Farms Grand Cayman. In the past ten years, croc- Cow Well sites produced abundant fossils odile fossils have been collected from five of crocodiles and other vertebrates. The additional sites on Grand Cayman. The crocodile bones recovered from these two three sites containing the richest samples deposits, as well as material from three ad- of crocodile bones, Chisholm Cow Well, ditional sites, Crocodile Canal, Connally Crocodile Canal, and Furtherland Farms Cow Well, and Prospect, form the basis for Cow Well, are composed of dark, peaty, the present report. organic sediments that probably formed in The Cayman Islands, including Grand a quiet estuarine or brackish depositional Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brat, environment such as a mangrove swamp are three small, low limestone islands lo- or coastal lagoon. The abundance of croc- cated in the northwestern Caribbean Sea odiles and the presence of several species between 19°15’N and 19°45’N latitude and of wading birds in the Grand Cayman sites 79°42’W and 81°26’W longitude. They are is unusual, as the vast majority of West situated slightly more than 200 km from Indian vertebrate fossil deposits occur in both Cuba to the north and Jamaica to the caves and are dominated by terrestrial taxa southeast, and about 500 km from the clos- (Morgan and Woods, 1986; Morgan, in est point in Central America. press). Grand Cayman is the largest of the is- At the invitation of the Mosquito Re- lands, with an area of 197 km2. Its maxi- search and Control Unit and Natural Re- mum elevation is about 20 m and more 153 154 G. S. MORGAN ET AL. than half the island’s area is under 5 m. Islands. In two deposits, the Chisholm Cow Low-lying areas are characterized by Well and the Furtherland Farms Cow Well, brackish lagoons, mangrove swamps, and the fossiliferous organic sediments were other swamp vegetative formations. deposited in small depressions or sink- Although they are low and flat, the Cay- holes in the limestone. These depressions man Islands represent the projecting peaks are called “cow wells” by residents because of high submarine mountains located along they are used as a source of drinking water the Cayman Ridge on the southern edge for cattle, especially after the organic sed- of the North American plate. The Cayman iments are removed to deepen the holes. Islands are surrounded by deep water in It is during the removal of these sediments all directions. Depths of 1000 m or more that fossils have been discovered. occur between the Cayman Islands and The third major locality for fossil croc- both the Greater Antilles and Middle odiles on Grand Cayman, Crocodile Canal, America. Depths of nearly 2000 m have is different from the other two sites, since been recorded between Grand Cayman and it did not form in a limestone depression. Little Cayman, and the narrow channel be- This site consists of a mangrove peat de- tween Cayman Brat and Little Cayman is posit uncovered during the excavation of almost 1000 m deep. These depths preclude a mosquito control canal. Although the cow land connections during Pleistocene low well deposits and the mangrove peat sea levels, either within the Cayman Is- formed under different depositional con- lands or between the Caymans and other ditions, they are similar in the high organ- land masses. ic content of the sediments and the abun- The following museums and institutions dance of C. rhombifer bones. These sites also possess specimens of fossil or extant croc- contain bones of many other vertebrates, odiles from the West Indies that we ex- including freshwater and terrestrial forms. amined during this study. The standard No strictly marine vertebrates have been abbreviation follows the name in paren- identified from either deposit. theses. Brief descriptions of the fossil deposits on Grand Cayman that have produced fos- American Museum of Natural History sil crocodiles are provided below. The lat- (AMNH) itude and longitude are given for each of Cayman Islands National Museum (CINM) the fossil sites, along with the six-digit co- Florida Museum of Natural History—for- ordinates based on the 1000 meter Uni- merly the Florida State Museum (UF) versal Transverse Mercator Grid (Grid Zone Mosquito Research and Control Unit and Designation 17Q) taken from the 1:25,000 Natural Resources Study (MRCU) topographic map series for the Cayman Is- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Har- lands, published in 1978 by the British Di- vard University (MCZ) rectorate of Overseas Surveys. The first United States National Museum of Natural three digits are east coordinates and the History (USNM) last three are north coordinates. The six- digit number is preceded by two letters D ESCRIPTION OF FOSSIL D EPOSITS corresponding to the 100,000 m2 identifi- Fossil deposits in the Cayman Islands that cation (MM is the designation for Grand have yielded remains of crocodiles are re- Cayman). More detailed locality data, field stricted to Grand Cayman. With the excep- notes, and photographs for these sites are tion of one tooth from Crab Cave at the available in the vertebrate paleontology lo- eastern end of the island (Morgan and Pat- cality files of the Florida Museum of Nat- ton, 1979), the fossils are preserved in dark ural History. A map showing the location brown to black, highly organic, peaty sed- of all vertebrate fossil sites on Grand Cay- iments. The most abundant species pre- man can be found in Morgan (in press). served in these organic sediments is the Chisholm Cow Well (19°21’N, 81°13’W; Cuban crocodile, Crocodylus rhombifer Cu- MM765391). — The Chisholm Cow Well is vier, which is now extinct in the Cayman located about 0.3 km south of Grape Tree FOSSIL CROCODILES FROM GRAND CAYMAN 155 Point and 1.8 km southwest of North Side. the cave entrance. A test pit 2 m long, 1 m This site is only a few meters above sea wide, and 0.5 m deep was dug under this level and consists of a small depression or ledge. Besides the single tooth of a croco- sinkhole in the limestone about 5 m long, dile (Morgan and Patton, 1979), Crab Cave 3 m wide, and 1-2 m deep. The bones are produced fossils of Cyclura nubila, smaller preserved in a dark, organic sediment at lizards, two species of snakes, birds, bats, the bottom of the sinkhole. The bones from and rich samples of capromyid rodents the Chisholm Cow Well are predominant- (Morgan, in press). Crab Cave was exca- ly those of the Cuban crocodile, Crocodylus vated by H. G. McDonald, G. S. Morgan, rhombifer, along with much smaller sam- and N. R. Thanz in March 1976 and by M. ples of the capromyid rodents Capromys and K. Langworthy and G. S. Morgan in April Geocapromys, the rock iguana Cyclura nubila 1980. Gray, and snakes. Bones were originally Crocodile Canal (19°19’N, 81°23’W; discovered at this site when sediments were MM603363). — The Crocodile Canal site was removed from the cow well during the dry discovered in a mosquito control canal season. The largest sample of bones from about 3 km north of George Town. The the Chisholm Cow Well was collected by canal was dug through a mangrove swamp Rolin Chisholm and the late Ira Thompson and is only slightly above sea level. The in the late 1970’s.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Phylogenetic Taphonomy: a Statistical and Phylogenetic
    Drumheller and Brochu | 1 1 PHYLOGENETIC TAPHONOMY: A STATISTICAL AND PHYLOGENETIC 2 APPROACH FOR EXPLORING TAPHONOMIC PATTERNS IN THE FOSSIL 3 RECORD USING CROCODYLIANS 4 STEPHANIE K. DRUMHELLER1, CHRISTOPHER A. BROCHU2 5 1. Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 6 Tennessee, 37996, U.S.A. 7 2. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, 8 52242, U.S.A. 9 email: [email protected] 10 RRH: CROCODYLIAN BITE MARKS IN PHYLOGENETIC CONTEXT 11 LRH: DRUMHELLER AND BROCHU Drumheller and Brochu | 2 12 ABSTRACT 13 Actualistic observations form the basis of many taphonomic studies in paleontology. 14However, surveys limited by environment or taxon may not be applicable far beyond the bounds 15of the initial observations. Even when multiple studies exploring the potential variety within a 16taphonomic process exist, quantitative methods for comparing these datasets in order to identify 17larger scale patterns have been understudied. This research uses modern bite marks collected 18from 21 of the 23 generally recognized species of extant Crocodylia to explore statistical and 19phylogenetic methods of synthesizing taphonomic datasets. Bite marks were identified, and 20specimens were then coded for presence or absence of different mark morphotypes. Attempts to 21find statistical correlation between trace types, marking animal vital statistics, and sample 22collection protocol were unsuccessful. Mapping bite mark character states on a eusuchian 23phylogeny successfully predicted the presence of known diagnostic, bisected marks in extinct 24taxa. Predictions for clades that may have created multiple subscores, striated marks, and 25extensive crushing were also generated. Inclusion of fossil bite marks which have been positively 26associated with extinct species allow this method to be projected beyond the crown group.
    [Show full text]
  • Cuban Crocodile Crocodylus Rhombifer Roberto Ramos Targarona1, Roberto Rodríguez Soberón2, Manuel Alonso Tabet3 and John B
    Cuban Crocodile Crocodylus rhombifer Roberto Ramos Targarona1, Roberto Rodríguez Soberón2, Manuel Alonso Tabet3 and John B. Thorbjarnarson4 1 Call 9B, N° 6209 e/63464, Jaguey Grande, Matanzas, CP 10100, Cuba ([email protected]) 2 Avenida 31 NR 6819, Entre 68 y 70, San Antonio de Los Banos, Prov. Habana, CP 32500, Cuba ([email protected]; [email protected]) 3 Hermanos Acosta 10A, Jobabo, Las Tunas, Cuba ([email protected]) 4 Wildlife Conservation Society, PO Box 357625, Gainesville, FL 32635-7625, USA ([email protected]) Common Names: Cuban crocodile 1880; Varona 1966). Skeletal material shows that this species was present on the Cayman Islands (Morgan et al. 1993) and in the Bahamas (Franz et al. 1995). Range: Cuba Figure 1. Distribution of Crocodylus rhombifer. Conservation Overview CITES: Appendix 1 Figure 2. Crocodylus rhombifer. Photograph: Tom Dacey. CSG Action Plan: Availability of survey data: Adequate Need for wild population recovery: Highest Zapata Swamp, with an approximate area of 657,900 ha, is Potential for sustainable management: Moderate located on the Zapata Peninsula, south of Matanzas Province, western Cuba. Most of this territory has protected area status, 2009 IUCN Red List: CR (Critically Endangered. Criteria under the categories of Protected Area of Managed Resources, A2cde. Inferred population decline of >80% in 3 generations Wildlife Refuge, and National Park. The Zapata Swamp in extent of occurrence; reduction of habitat quality; effects Biosphere Reserve was established in 2000, and since 2001 of illegal exploitation and hybridization; IUCN 2009) (last has been designated a Ramsar Site. The Zapata Peninsula assessed in 2008). also holds the status of Special Region of Sustainable Development (Decree 197/96, Plan Turquino-Manati).
    [Show full text]
  • Crocodile Specialist Group Steering Committee Meeting Skukuza, Kruger National Park, South Africa 22 May 2016
    Agenda Item: SC. 3.5. Crocodile Specialist Group Steering Committee Meeting Skukuza, Kruger National Park, South Africa 22 May 2016 Zoos Report 1. We cannot express enough how great loss to the CSG and to the international zoo community was the passing of Ralf Sommerlad. Ralf was a tireless champion for crocodilians both in captivity and in the wild. He was a great communicator, an intermediary, a messenger that carried and transmitted information, ideas, and initiatives between Europe, North American and Asia. In so doing, Ralf helped the zoo community coordinate its crocodilian conservation efforts, focusing regional associations on specific projects, as well as combining forces when conservation programs required more resources than could be supplied by a single association. He was a great partner for me in my role as Vice-chair for this group, sharing ideas and information, constantly keeping me up to date with zoo activities in Europe relative to crocodilians. Toward the closing of the 2014 CSG working meeting in Lake Charles, Ralf took me aside, along with Fabian Schmidt (Zoo Leipzig), and told me that he would no longer be able to provide the support that he had for so many years and urged me to collaborate with Fabian instead. So, Fabian Schmidt is now assisting me with European matters. 2. Activities in North American zoos a. The Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) Crocodilian Advisory Group (CAG) continues to promote the exhibition of crocodilians in North American zoos, aquariums and other living institutions. i. The “Crocodilian Biology and Captive Management” professional training school, developed and given by the CAG, held its 16th annual course just last month.
    [Show full text]
  • O Regist Regi Tro Fós Esta Istro De Sil De C Ado Da a E
    UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO RIO GRANDE DOO SUL INSTITUTO DE GEOCIÊNCIAS PROGRAMA DE PÓS-GRADUAÇÃO EM GEOCIÊNCIAS O REGISTRO FÓSSIL DE CROCODILIANOS NA AMÉRICA DO SUL: ESTADO DA ARTE, ANÁLISE CRÍTICAA E REGISTRO DE NOVOS MATERIAIS PARA O CENOZOICO DANIEL COSTA FORTIER Porto Alegre – 2011 UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO RIO GRANDE DO SUL INSTITUTO DE GEOCIÊNCIAS PROGRAMA DE PÓS-GRADUAÇÃO EM GEOCIÊNCIAS O REGISTRO FÓSSIL DE CROCODILIANOS NA AMÉRICA DO SUL: ESTADO DA ARTE, ANÁLISE CRÍTICA E REGISTRO DE NOVOS MATERIAIS PARA O CENOZOICO DANIEL COSTA FORTIER Orientador: Dr. Cesar Leandro Schultz BANCA EXAMINADORA Profa. Dra. Annie Schmalz Hsiou – Departamento de Biologia, FFCLRP, USP Prof. Dr. Douglas Riff Gonçalves – Instituto de Biologia, UFU Profa. Dra. Marina Benton Soares – Depto. de Paleontologia e Estratigrafia, UFRGS Tese de Doutorado apresentada ao Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geociências como requisito parcial para a obtenção do Título de Doutor em Ciências. Porto Alegre – 2011 Fortier, Daniel Costa O Registro Fóssil de Crocodilianos na América Do Sul: Estado da Arte, Análise Crítica e Registro de Novos Materiais para o Cenozoico. / Daniel Costa Fortier. - Porto Alegre: IGEO/UFRGS, 2011. [360 f.] il. Tese (doutorado). - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Instituto de Geociências. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geociências. Porto Alegre, RS - BR, 2011. 1. Crocodilianos. 2. Fósseis. 3. Cenozoico. 4. América do Sul. 5. Brasil. 6. Venezuela. I. Título. _____________________________ Catalogação na Publicação Biblioteca Geociências - UFRGS Luciane Scoto da Silva CRB 10/1833 ii Dedico este trabalho aos meus pais, André e Susana, aos meus irmãos, Cláudio, Diana e Sérgio, aos meus sobrinhos, Caio, Júlia, Letícia e e Luíza, à minha esposa Ana Emília, e aos crocodilianos, fósseis ou viventes, que tanto me fascinam.
    [Show full text]
  • P. 1 AC18 Inf. 11 (English Only/ Seulement En Anglais
    AC18 Inf. 11 (English only/ Seulement en anglais/ Únicamente en inglés) THE POTENTIAL TO BREED APPENDIX-I REPTILES IN CAPTIVITY A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT IUCN/SSC Crocodile Specialist Group Florida Museum of Natural History Gainesville FL 32611 USA Background and Purpose Article VII.4 of the Convention provides for specimens of Appendix I species that have been bred in captivity, or artificially propagated, to be deemed to be specimens of species included in Appendix-II for the purposes of exports for commercial purposes. Implementation of this provision of the Convention has required commercial captive breeding operations to be registered with the Secretariat. The registration process has entailed a complicated and sometimes lengthy process involving scrutiny of the application through correspondence by the Secretariat, relevant experts and the Parties. As a consequence, the extent to which Parties have adopted the registration procedure has been has been limited. Numerous Parties authorize exports of Captive-bred specimens of Appendix-I species in accordance with Article III, paragraph 3(a), of the Convention. Resolution Conf. 11.14 (Gigiri, 2000) establishes a new approach to the registration process in an effort to streamline and simplify the procedure. Pursuant to Resolution Conf. 11.14, the Parties have agreed to compile an annex comprising “a list of Appendix-I species that are critically endangered in the wild and/or difficult to keep or breed in captivity”. In the same Resolution, the Parties also agreed: “that determination of whether or not to apply the exemptions of Article VII, paragraph 4, for the export of specimens of Appendix-I animals bred in captivity for commercial purposes, where the species are not included in Annex 3 to the Resolution, remains the responsibility of the Management Authority of the exporting Party on the advice of the Scientific Authority that each operation complies with the provisions of Resolution Conf.
    [Show full text]
  • Evolutionary History of Cuban Crocodiles Crocodylus Rhombifer 315:358-375,2011 and Crocodylus Acutus Inferred from Multilocus Markers
    RESEARCH ARTICLE Evolutionary History of Cuban J OURNAL OF Crocodiles Crocodylus rhombifer E XPERIMENTAL and Crocodylus acutus Inferred Z OOLOGY ECOLOGICAL GENETICS AND PHYSIOLOGY From Multilocus Markers Ajournal oflntegrativc Biology YOAMEL MILIAN-GARCiA1, MIRYAM VENEGAS-ANAYA2,3, ROBERTO FRIAS-SOLER1, ANDREW J. CRAWFORD2'4, ROBERTO RAM0S-TARGAR0NA5, ROBERTO R0DRIGUEZ-S0BER0N5, MANUEL AL0NS0-TABET5, JOHN THORBJARNARSON61", ORIS I. SANJUR2, 1 2 GEORGINA ESPINOSA-LOPEZ *, AND ELDREDGE BERMINGHAM 1 Facultad de Biologia, Universidad de La Habana, Ciudad Habana, Cuba ^Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama, Republic of Panama ^Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 4Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia 5Empresa Nacional para la Proteccion de la Flora y la Fauna, Miramar, Ciudad La Habana, Cuba 6Wildlife Conservation Society, Gainesville, Florida ABSTRACT Among crocodilians, Crocodylus rhombifer is one of the world's most endangered species with the smallest natural distribution. In Cuba, this endemic species coexists with the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus). Hybridization between these two species is well known in captivity and might occur in the wild, but has never been demonstrated genetically. Here, we combined molecular data with environmental, geographic, and fossil data to infer the evolutionary history of Crocodylus in the Cuban Archipelago, and to evaluate genealogical support for species boundaries. We analyzed seven microsatellite loci plus DNA sequence data from nuclear (RAG-1) and mitochondria! (cytochrome b and cytochrome oxidase I) genes from 89 wild-caught individuals in Cuba, Grand Cayman Island, Jamaica, and Central America, and two samples from zoo collections. Microsatellites showed evidence of introgression, suggesting potential hybridization among Cuban groups.
    [Show full text]
  • CROCODYLIDAE Crocodylus Rhombifer
    n REPTILIA: CROCODILIA: CROCODYLIDAE Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles. Crocidilrts rhornbifer: Velasco 1893:80. Spelling error. Crocodrilus rhombifer: Velasco 1895:37. Spelling error. Ross, F.D. 1998. Crocodylus rliombifer. Crocodiltrs rliombifenrs: Reese 1915:2. Spelling error. Crocodylus rhombifer: Stejneger 19 17:289. First use of present Crocodylus rhombifer (Cuvier) combination. Cuban Crocodile Crocodylus antillensis Varona 1966:27, figs. 9-1 I. Type local- ity, Pleistocene deposits at Cueva Lamas, near Santa Fe, La Crocodilrrs rhombifer Cuvier 1807:s 1. Distribution of the spe- Habana Province, Cuba. Holotype (posterior skull fragment), cies was first associated with Cuba by DumCril and Bibron Institute Biologia Cuba, IB I0 I, collected by Oscar Arredondo (1836), who also described the species from life in diagnos- (OA 368). Paratypes include maxillary, premaxillary, and tic detail. The type locality was restricted to Cuba by Schmidt squamosal bones. Synonymy is by Varona (1966). (1924). Two known syntypes, one at I'AcadCmie des Sci- Crocodylus rhontbifera: Das 1994:200. Spelling error. ences, Paris, and the other in the MusCum National de'Histoire Naturelle, Paris (MNHNP),are both currently unlocated (see CONTENT. Crocodylus rhombifpr is a monotypic species Remarks). No lectotype has been designated. including Pleistocene fossils. Wild hybrids are suspected. For croc rhombifer: Cuvier 18 17:2 1 (in a footnote). a discussion of captive hybridization between C. rhombifer and Crocodilus @laniro.stris)Graves 18 19:348. Type locality: "Af- several other species of Crocod.ylus, see Comments. rica" (in error). The type specimen, in the Museum of Bor- deaux, was formerly in the private collection of the Count of DEFINITION and DIAGNOSIS.
    [Show full text]
  • Genetic Characterization of Captive Cuban Crocodiles (Crocodylus Rhombifer) and Evidence of Hybridization with the American Crocodile (Crocodylus Acutus) JEREMY P
    JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY 309A:649-660 (2008) A Journal of Integrative Biology Genetic Characterization of Captive Cuban Crocodiles (Crocodylus rhombifer) and Evidence of Hybridization With the American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) JEREMY P. WEAVER1*, DAVID RODRIGUEZ1, MIRYAM VENEGAS-ANAYA1, 2 3 JOSE ROGELIO CEDENO-VAZQUEZ , MICHAEL R.J. FORSTNER , AND LLEWELLYN 0. DENSMORE III1 1 Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 2El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Unidad Chetumal, Chetumal, Q. Roo, Mexico 3Department of Biology, Texas State University-San Marcos, San Marcos, Texas ABSTRACT There is a surprising lack of genetic data for the Cuban crocodile (Crocodylus rhombifer), especially given its status as a critically endangered species. Samples from captive individuals were used to genetically characterize this species in comparison with other New World crocodilians. Partial mitochondrial sequence data were generated from cyt-fe (843 bp) and the tRNAPro- tRNAp e-D-loop region (442 bp). Phylogenetic analyses were performed by generating maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian-based topologies. In addition, in an effort to identify species-specific alleles, ten polymorphic microsatellite loci were genotyped. Distance and model-based clustering analyses were performed on microsatellite data, in addition to a model-based assignment of hybrid types. Both mitochondrial and nuclear markers identified two distinct C. rhombifer genetic sub-clades (a and (3); and microsatellite analyses revealed that most admixed individuals were Fg hybrids between C. rhombifer-a and the American crocodile (C. acutus). All individuals in the C. rhombifer-^ group were morphologically identified as C. acutus and formed a distinct genetic assemblage. J. Exp. Zool.
    [Show full text]
  • File No.25-1/2002-CZA(Vol-II)(Part)
    File No.25-1/2002-CZA(Vol-II)(Part) Computer No: 135034 Government of India Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change CENTRAL ZOO AUTHORITY *** B-1 Wing, 6th Floor, Pandit Deendayal Antyodaya Bhawan, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110 003. Telephone: +91-11-24367846/51/52 [email protected] 22/12/2020 OFFICE MEMORANDUM SUBJECT: Guidelines on stocking density of various crocodilian species in Indian zoos. In partial modification of the Guidelines for Establishment and Scientific Management of Zoos in India (2008) circulated vide this office Circular 26- 2/2008-CZA(M) dated August 25, 2008, the guidelines on stocking density of various crocodilian species in Indian zoos is revised. To this effect, the revised guidelines on the permissible stocking density of various crocodilian species in Indian zoos, placed at Annexure – I, will be applicable henceforth. The revised guidelines on stocking density of various crocodilian species in Indian zoos is effective from date of issue of this O.M. The rest of Guidelines for Establishment and Scientific Management of Zoos in India (2008) remains unchanged. This issues with approval of the competent authority. Sd/- 22/12/2020 (Sonali Ghosh) Dy Inspector General Of Forest Distribution: 1. The Chief Wildlife Warden of all States / UTs. 2. The Officer in charge of all recognized zoos. Minimum Depth of Permissible Total Mininum land Incremental No. Common Name Species Length Width water pond water individuals in Land Water Length area/indvidual area/individual area pond 400 sq.m Deepest Increment
    [Show full text]
  • Crocodylus Acutus) in the Greater Antilles
    Genetic evidence supports a distinct lineage of American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) in the Greater Antilles Yoamel Milián-García1,2, Michael A. Russello2, Jessica Castellanos-Labarcena1,2, Martin Cichon3, Vikas Kumar3,4, Georgina Espinosa1, Natalia Rossi5, Frank Mazzotti6, Evon Hekkala7, George Amato8 and Axel Janke3 1 Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de La Habana, La Habana, Cuba 2 Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada 3 Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Frankfurt am Main, Germany 4 Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China 5 Wildlife Conservation Society, New York, NY, USA 6 Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA 7 Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, New York, NY, USA 8 Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA ABSTRACT Four species of true crocodile (genus Crocodylus) have been described from the Americas. Three of these crocodile species exhibit non-overlapping distributions—Crocodylus intermedius in South America, C. moreletii along the Caribbean coast of Mesoamerica, and C. rhombifer confined to Cuba. The fourth, C. acutus, is narrowly sympatric with each of the other three species. In this study, we sampled 113 crocodiles across Crocodylus populations in Cuba, as well as exemplar populations in Belize and Florida (USA), and sequenced three regions of the mitochondrial genome (D-loop, cytochrome b, cytochrome oxidase I; 3,626 base pair long dataset) that overlapped with published data previously collected from 25 June 2018 Submitted Colombia, Jamaica, and the Cayman Islands.
    [Show full text]
  • Crocodile Specialist Group Newsletter Alternative-Energy Guru Dr
    CROCODILE SPECIALIST GROUP NEWSLETTER VOLUME 27 No. 4 • OCTOBER 2008 - DECEMBER 2008 IUCN • Species Survival Commission CSG Newsletter Subscription The CSG Newsletter is produced and distributed by the Crocodile CROCODILE Specialist Group of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). The CSG Newsletterr provides information on the conservation, status, news and current events concerning crocodilians, and on the SPECIALIST activities of the CSG. The Newsletter is distributed to CSG members and to other interested individuals and organizations. All Newsletter recipients are asked to contribute news and other materials. The CSG Newsletterr is available as: GROUP • Hard copy (by subscription - see below); and/or, • Free electronic, downloadable copy from “http://iucncsg.org/ ph1/modules/Publications/newsletter.html”. Annual subscriptions for hard copies of the CSG Newsletterr may be made by cash ($US40), credit card ($AUD55) or bank transfer NEWSLETTER ($AUD55). Cheques ($USD) will be accepted, however due to increased bank charges associated with this method of payment, cheques are no longer recommended. A Subscription Form can be downloaded from “http://iucncsg.org/ph1/modules/Publications/ VOLUME 27 Number 4 newsletter.html”. OCTOBER 2008 – DECEMBER 2008 All CSG communications should be addressed to: IUCN - Species Survival Commission CSG Executive Offi ce, PO Box 530, Sanderson NT 0813, Australia. Fax: (61) 8 89470678. E-mail: [email protected]. PATRONS CHAIRMAN: We thank all patrons who have donated to the CSG and its Professor Grahame Webb conservation program over many years, and especially to PO Box 530, Sanderson, NT 0813 donors in 2007-2008 (listed below).
    [Show full text]
  • A Phylogenetic Hypothesis for Crocodylus (Crocodylia) Based on Mitochondrial DNA: Evidence for a Trans-Atlantic Voyage from Africa to the New World ⇑ ⇑ Robert W
    Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 60 (2011) 183–191 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ympev A phylogenetic hypothesis for Crocodylus (Crocodylia) based on mitochondrial DNA: Evidence for a trans-Atlantic voyage from Africa to the New World ⇑ ⇑ Robert W. Meredith a, , Evon R. Hekkala b, George Amato c, John Gatesy a, a Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA b Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Rose Hill Campus, Bronx, NY 10458, USA c Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, 79th Street at Central Park West, New York, NY 10024, USA article info abstract Article history: The phylogenetic relationships among extant species of Crocodylus (Crocodylia) have been inconsistently Received 12 January 2011 resolved by previous systematic studies. Here we used nearly complete mitochondrial (mt) genomes Revised 9 March 2011 (16,200 base pairs) for all described Crocodylus species, eight of which are new to this study, to derive Accepted 9 March 2011 a generally well-supported phylogenetic hypothesis for the genus. Model-based analyses support mono- Available online 1 April 2011 phyly of all Asian + Australian species and paraphyly of Crocodylus niloticus (Nile crocodile) with a mono- phyletic New World clade nested within this species. Wild-caught Nile crocodiles from eastern Keywords: populations group robustly with the four New World species to the exclusion of Nile crocodiles from wes- Crocodile tern populations, a result that is also favored by parsimony analyses and by various subpartitions of the Crocodylus Phylogeny overall mt dataset. The fossil record of Crocodylus extends back only to the Late Miocene, while the ear- Mitochondrial liest fossils assigned to C.
    [Show full text]