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Size of Caimans Killed by Humans at a Hydroelectric Dam in the Madeira AutorenPDF-vorlage_All_Short_Notes_SHORT_NOTE.qxd 28.07.2015 15:31 Seite 13 SHORT NOTE HERPETOZOA 28 (1/2) Wien, 30. Juli 2015 SHORT NOTE 101 ler) [Turkish herpetofauna (amphibians & reptiles)]. update to volume 1. latina (Edizioni Belvedere), pp. Ankara (Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Environ - 543. STÜMPEl , N. & J OgER , u. (2009): Recent advan - ment), pp. XIII, 214. BARAN , İ. & I lgAZ , Ç. & A vcI , A. ces in phylogeny and taxonomy of Near and Middle & K uMluTAş , Y. & O lguN , K. (2012): Türkiye amfibi Eastern vipers – an update.- ZooKeys, Sofia; 31: 179- ve sürüngenleri. (Amphibians and reptiles of Turkey). 191. TEYNIé , A. ( 1987): Observations herpetologiques Ankara (TÜBİTAK Popüler Bilim Kitapları) pp. 204. en Turquie, l ère partie.- Bulletin de la Société BARAN , İ. & K uMluTAş , Y. & T OK , c.v. & O lguN , K. Herpétologique de France, Paris; 43: 9-18. & I lgAZ , Ç. & K ASKA , Y. & T ÜRKOZAN , O. & İ RET , F. KEY WORDS: Reptilia: Squamata: Serpentes: (2004): On two herpetological collections made in east viperidae, Montivipera wagneri , new record locality, Anatolia (Turkey).- Herpetozoa, Wien; 16 (3/4): 99- distribution, Horasan, Erzurum, Anatolia, Turkey 114. DOWlINg , H. g. (1951): A proposed standard of counting ventrals in snakes.- British Journal Herpeto - SuBMITTED: November 26, 2013. logy, london; 1: 97-99. HERRMANN , H. W. & J OgER , AuTHORS: Yusuf KuMluTAş , (corresponding u. & l ENK , P. & W INK , M. (1999): Morphological and author < [email protected] >) – Dokuz Eylül molecular phylogenies of viperines: conflicting evi - university, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, dence? Kaupia, Darmstadt; 8: 21-30. JOgER , u. (2005): Buca-İzmir, Turkey; Çetin IlgAZ – Dokuz Eylül Montivipera NIlSON , T uNIYEv , A NDREN , O RlOv , J OgER , university, Faculty of Science , Department of Biology, HERRMAN , 1999; pp. 61-62. In: BöHME , W. (Ed.): Buca-İzmir, Turkey < [email protected] >; Kamil Handbuch der Reptilien und Amphibian Europas. cANDAN , Ege university, Faculty of Science, Depart - Wiesbaden (AulA verlag). JOgER , u. & T EYNIé , A. & ment of Biology, Bornova-İzmir, Turkey < kamilcandan FucHS , D. (1988): Morphological characterization of @yahoo.com >. Vipera wagneri NIlSON & A NDRéN , 1984 (Reptilia: viperidae), with first description of the males.- Bonner Zoologische Beiträge, Bonn; 39 (2/3): 221-228. KASKA , Y. & K uMluTAş , Y. & A vcI , A. & N IlSON , g. (2009): Montivipera wagneri . In: IucN 2012. IucN Size of caimans killed by humans Red list of Threatened Species. WWW document at a hydroelectric dam in the available at < http://www.iucnredlist.org > (last ac - cessed: June 17, 2014). lENK , P. & K AlYABINA -H AuF , Madeira River, Brazilian Amazon S. & WINK , M. & J OgER , u. (2001): Evolution ary rela - tionships among the true vipers (Reptilia: viperidae) inferred from mitochondrial DNA se quences.- crocodilians face conflicts with hu - Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, San Diego; mans where they use aquatic environments 19: 94-104. MAllOW , D. & l uDWIg , D. & N IlSON , g. to seek food, leisure and housing. The Nile (2003): True vipers. Natural history and toxicology of crocodile, Crocodylus niloticus lAuRENTI , old world vipers. Malabar, Florida, (Krieger Publishing company), pp. 359. NIlSON , g. & A NDR éN, c. ( 1984): 1768 , and the Saltwater crocodile, Croco - Systematics of the Vipera xanthina complex (Reptilia: dylus porosus ScHNEIDER , 1801, are among viperidae). 2. An overlooked viper within the xanthina the species that most frequently attack species-group in Iran.- Bonner Zoologische Beiträge, humans ( BOYlE et al. 2009; WEBB et al. Bonn; 35 (1/3): 175-184 . NIlSON , g. & A NDRéN , c. (1986): The mountain vipers of the Middle East - the 2010), but also other species are killed by Vipera xanthina complex (Reptilia: viperidae).- local people, who believe that the crocodil - Bonner Zoologische Monographien, Bonn; 20: 1-90. ians compete with them for food, principal - NIlSON , g. & A NDRéN , c. (1992): The species concept ly fish. Killing of crocodilians has intensi - in the Vipera xanthina complex: reflecting evolution - ary history or hiding biological diversity?- Amphibia- fied with habitat loss caused by fishing, Reptilia, leiden; 13: 421-424. NIlSON , g. & A NDR éN, sand mining, hydropower, tourism and c. & F läRDH , B. (1988): Die vipern der Türkei. housing in areas close to rivers and other Salaman dra, Rheinbach; 24 (4): 215-247. NIlSON , g. aquatic environments ( FERguSSON 2010). & TuNIYEv , B. & A NDRéN , c. & O RlOv , N. & J OgER , u. & H ERRMANN , H. (1999): Taxonomic position of the This has caused an increase in the likelihood Vipera xanthina complex.- Darmstädter Beiträge zur of attacks on humans ( WAllAcE et al. Naturgeschichte, Darmstadt, 8: 99-102. ScHäTTI , B. & 2012). BARAN , İ. & S Igg , H. (1991): Rediscovery of the Four species of crocodilians occur in Bolkar viper: morphological variation and systematic implications on the ‘ Vipera xanthina complex’.- the Amazon region, and one, the Black Amphibia-Reptilia, leiden; 12: 305-327. ScHäTTI , B. caiman, Melanosuchus niger (S PIX , 1825) , & B ARAN , İ. & S Igg , H. (1992): The ‘ Vipera xanthina can reach 6.0 m in length ( MEDEM 1983). complex’ – a reply to NIlSON and ANDRéN .- Amphibia- There are many reports of attacks on Reptilia, leiden; 13: 425. SINDAcO , R. & v ENcHI , A. & c ARPANETO , g. M. & B OlOgNO , M. (2000): The rep - humans during activities, such as fishing, on tiles of Anatolia: A checklist and zoogeographical the shores and rivers ( DA SIlvEIRA & analysis.- Biogeographia, Bologna; 21: 441- 554. THORBJARNARSON 2010; HADDAD & F ON- SINDAcO , R. & v ENcHI , A. & g RIEcO , c. (2013): The reptiles of the Western Palearctic. 2. Annotated check - SEcA 2011). Fishing with fixed hooks is not list and distributional atlas of the snakes of Europe, prohibited under Brazilian law and fisher - North Africa, Middle East and central Asia, with an men make use of this practice in many AutorenPDF-vorlage_All_Short_Notes_SHORT_NOTE.qxd 28.07.2015 15:31 Seite 14 102 SHORT NOTE HERPETOZOA 28 (1/2) Wien, 30. Juli 2015 SHORT NOTE Fig. 1:. Black caiman, Melanosuchus niger (S PIX , 1825) , killed by a gun shot. Reservoir area of the Santo Antônio dam, Madeira River, RO, Brazil . A c B D Fig. 2: . Size distribution of the caimans killed by humans in the reservoir area of the Santo Antônio dam, Madeira River, RO, Brazil. A - Melanosuchus niger (S PIX , 1825) (N = 42) ; B - Caiman yacare (D AuDIN , 1802) (N = 6) ; c - Paleosuchus trigonatus (S cHNEIDER , 1801) (N = 3) ; D - Paleosuchus palpebrosus (c uvIER , 1807) (N = 3) . AutorenPDF-vorlage_All_Short_Notes_SHORT_NOTE.qxd 28.07.2015 15:31 Seite 15 SHORT NOTE HERPETOZOA 28 (1/2) Wien, 30. Juli 2015 SHORT NOTE 103 Amazonian Rivers ( BARTHEM 1987; B AYlEY Most dead Black caimans were longer than et al. 1989). crocodilians are attracted by 2.0 m Svl (Fig. 2) and had gun-shot wounds. fish caught on the lines. Hydroelectric dams The estimated maximum Svl of the Black change river shorelines and often force caimans was 247.0 cm. caimans into closer contact with people. In Accordingly, all four species of this study, the author recorded crocodilians Amazonian crocodilians suffer from contact killed by humans in the newly flooded with people where they share aquatic envi - Santo Antônio dam, Madeira River, Ama - ronments, even though most caiman species zon Basin. do not pose threat to humans. In particular From September 2010, to May 2013, Melanosuchus niger , which occupies large dead caimans floating near the banks of the rivers and lakes, is hunted by people in the Madeira River and its tributaries were re - region of the Madeira River. They fre - corded (Fig. 1). The reservoir area of the quently regard these biggest Amazonian Santo Antônio dam (8° 47’S, 63°57’W), caimans as an imminent danger and kill Madeira River, was formed in October/No - them, as is known for two large Old World vember 2011 and extends to 100 km at inun - crocodilians, C. porosus (WHITAKER 2008) dation periods. Each dead caiman was and C. niloticus (WAllAcE et al. 2011). inspected to determine the cause of death There are however only marginal reports of based on physical evidence, such as bullet illegal hunting of M. niger in the Amazon wounds or the presence of a hook. The region ( RêBElO & M AgNuSSON 1983; D A length of the head (tip of snout to posterior SIlvEIRA & T HORBJARNARSON 1999). end of cranial plate, Hl cm) of dead indi - In the Bolivian Mamoré River, which viduals was measured using a measuring is a tributary of the Madeira River, the max - tape. This measure was used to estimate imum total length of M. niger was estimat - snout-vent length (Svl cm) since decompo - ed to be 4.94 m based on a head length of sition negatively affects correct measure - 58.8 cm ( THORBJARNARSON & M cINTOSH ment of trunk and tail. The relationship 1987). In this latter study, 52 % of the between Hl and Svl for the four species killed M. niger individuals had an estimated was calculated by measuring numerous total length of more than 4.00 m (i.e., Svl individuals captured in the area and released > 2.00 m). In conclusion, with regard to the at the site of capture immediately after region of the Madeira River, the conflict measuring. The following equations were between humans and crocodilians is focused computed: for Melanosuchus niger Svl = on large individuals of M. niger . -4293 + 3927 *Hl (N = 94, r2 = 0997, p < Most dead caimans had gun-shot 0.001); for Caiman yacare (D AuDIN , 1802) wounds, however no meat had been taken Svl = -3126 + 4033 * Hl (N = 118, r2 = from the body. One M. niger and one C. 0993, p < 0.001); for Paleosuchus palpe - yacare were lacking tails, indicating that the brosus (c u vIER , 1807) Svl = -3350 + 4121 individuals had been killed (also) for food. * Hl (N = 97, r2 = 0.995, p < 0.001); and for Many caimans died because they swallowed Paleosuchus trigonatus (S cHNEIDER , 1801) hooks or drowned in gill nets.
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