Reproductive Phenology of Three Lizard Species in Costa Rica, with Comments on Seasonal Reproduction of Neotropical Lizards

2005 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 341-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
James I. Watling ◽  
J. Hardin Waddle ◽  
David Kizirian ◽  
Maureen A. Donnelly
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Reproductive Phenology ◽  
Seasonal Reproduction ◽  
Lizard Species

Nematode Parasites of 16 Lizard Species from the Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica

2010 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 232-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles R. Bursey ◽  
Daniel R. Brooks
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Lizard Species ◽  
Nematode Parasites

scholarly journals Reproductive phenology of epiphytes in Monteverde, Costa Rica

2015 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 1119
Author(s):  
Kimberly S. Sheldon ◽  
Nalini M. Nadkarni
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Reproductive Phenology

<p>La fenología de las plantas, o el cronograma de eventos en el ciclo de vida, es importante para la comprensión de la ecología vegetal, la dinámica de los bosques y de las interacciones planta-animal. En los bosques tropicales, los estudios que documentan la fenología de las epífitas son relativamente pocos debido a los desafíos que representa darles seguimiento a las plantas que viven en el dosel. Aquí se presenta un reporte de los patrones fenológicos de 279 individuos de 7 especies de epífitas que abarca 12 meses en un bosque montano tropical en Monteverde, Costa Rica. Las epífitas se encuentran en una de las dos especies de árboles comunes, <em>Ficus tuerckheimii</em> (Moraceae) u <em>Ocotea tonduzii </em>(Lauraceae). Se registró la floración y fructificación (i.e. cuando la fruta madura o inmadura está presente en la planta) de las plantas de estudio en intervalos mensuales y examinó la fenología a través de las estaciones en el sitio de estudio (i.e. estación húmeda, transición, o seca) y  el síndrome de polinizadores (ave- , o insecto-polinización ) y el síndrome de dispersión de semillas (ave-, murciélago-, o viento- dispersión) de cada planta. Aunque la mayoría de las especies de epífitas tuvieron flores y frutos durante todo el año, la mayoría mostró estacionalidad significativa en los eventos fenológicos. Con base en estadísticas circulares, el tiempo de floración promedio de las especies de epífitas es variado, sin embargo, el momento de la fructificación promedio para la mayoría de las especies tiende a ocurrir durante la estación húmeda. Especies de insectos y aves de polinización tenían pico de floración durante la estación seca y la estación lluviosa tarde, respectivamente. Frutas dispersadas por aves estaban presentes todos los meses del año con picos de febrero a octubre y de nuevo en diciembre. Frutas dispersadas por el viento se observaron ocho meses del año con un pico en la temporada de lluvias temprana. El momento de la floración de las epífitas coincidió con la floración de árboles de gran tamaño en la zona. La fructificación de las epífitas, sin embargo, fue diferente de la fructificación de los árboles de gran tamaño. Nuestros resultados ponen de manifiesto el carácter estacional de la floración y fructificación de las especies epífitas individuales, además de destacar el carácter asincrónico de los eventos fenológicos entre toda la comunidad de epífitas.  </p>

scholarly journals Females as the Gatekeepers to Seasonal Breeding: What We Can Learn by Studying Reproductive Mechanisms in Both Sexes

2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 703-711 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abigail A Kimmitt
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Reproductive Development ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Sex Bias ◽  
Reproductive Phenology ◽  
Seasonal Reproduction ◽  
Reproductive Timing ◽  
Physiological Mechanisms ◽  
Important Distinction ◽  
Hypothalamic Regulation

Synopsis Seasonal reproduction is a widespread adaptation in vertebrates, such that individuals time their reproductive efforts to match peak resource abundance. Individuals rely on environmental cues to regulate hormonal mechanisms governing timing of breeding. Historically, studies on physiological mechanisms of seasonal reproduction, specifically in birds, have disproportionately focused on males compared to females. For this review, I conducted a literature search of the last decade of avian research and found a persistent sex bias in the field of physiological mechanisms of seasonal reproduction. Using work conducted with the dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis) as a case study, I present a possible solution to combat the sex bias: natural comparisons of populations that differ in reproductive timing to investigate mechanisms of reproduction in both sexes. Populations of dark-eyed juncos that differ in migratory behavior (i.e., migrant and resident) exhibit overlapping ranges during winter and early spring; residents begin breeding in early spring prior to the departure of migrants. This system, and others like it, provides an opportunity to compare mechanisms of reproduction in populations that differ in reproductive timing despite experiencing the same environmental conditions in early spring. In juncos, migrant and resident females and males exhibit similar patterns of hypothalamic regulation of reproduction in early spring, but sex differences in gonadal sensitivity between the populations could be an important distinction that partially explains sex differences in reproductive development. Comparing mechanisms of reproduction in free-living populations and in captivity can reveal important mechanisms that determine the onset of reproductive development, as well as potential sex differences in these mechanisms. Understanding the mechanisms of reproductive phenology has important implications for understanding how species will survive and reproduce in a changing climate.

scholarly journals Distributional records for Loxopholis rugiceps Cope, 1869 (Squamata, Gymnophthalmidae) in Central America

Check List ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 363-368
Author(s):  
José Manuel Mora ◽  
Mario Roberto Espinal ◽  
Gerardo Chaves ◽  
Lucía Isabel López
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Central America ◽  
Lizard Species

Only 2 lizard species of the 11 members of the genus Loxopholis Cope, 1869 are found in Central America, L. southi (Ruthven & Gaige, 1924) from Costa Rica to Colombia and L. rugiceps Cope, 1869 from Panama and Colombia. We report new country records for L. rugiceps from Honduras and Costa Rica. We collected 4 individuals of this species in Honduras in 2018 and 2 specimens in Costa Rica in 1997 and 2017. We discuss the distribution of L. rugiceps in Central America.  

Identification of Maize Rayado Fino Virus by Immunoelectron Microscopy

1985 ◽  
Vol 43 ◽  
pp. 636-637
Author(s):  
O. E. Bradfute
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Zea Mays ◽  
Costa Rica ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Rabbit Serum ◽  
Normal Rabbit Serum ◽  
Virus Particles ◽  
Far North ◽  
Maize Rayado Fino Virus ◽  
Antibody Coating

Maize rayado fino virus (MRFV) causes a severe disease of corn (Zea mays) in many locations throughout the neotropics and as far north as southern U.S. MRFV particles detected by direct electron microscopy of negatively stained sap from infected leaves are not necessarily distinguishable from many other small isometric viruses infecting plants (Fig. 1).Immunosorbent trapping of virus particles on antibody-coated grids and the antibody coating or decoration of trapped virus particles, was used to confirm the identification of MRFV. Antiserum to MRFV was supplied by R. Gamez (Centro de Investigacion en Biologia Celular y Molecular, Universidad de Costa Rica, Ciudad Universitaria, Costa Rica).Virus particles, appearing as a continuous lawn, were trapped on grids coated with MRFV antiserum (Fig. 2-4). In contrast, virus particles were infrequently found on grids not exposed to antiserum or grids coated with normal rabbit serum (similar to Fig. 1). In Fig. 3, the appearance of the virus particles (isometric morphology, 30 nm diameter, stain penetration of some particles, and morphological subunits in other particles) is characteristic of negatively stained MRFV particles. Decoration or coating of these particles with MRFV antiserum confirms their identification as MRFV (Fig. 4).

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