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Reproductive strategies in boid snakes
Vejvodová, Tereza ; Frynta, Daniel (advisor) ; Rehák, Ivan (referee)
The important part of life history of species is number and size of offspring, which is limited by size of maternal investment. Family of boas (Boidae) comprises species with various maternal investments. The species of study was Cuban boa (Chilabothrus angulifer) having small litter size, but producing one of the biggest neonates from family Boidae. The aim of the thesis was to analyze relationships between life-history parameters and try to find possible evolutionary causes of this huge maternal investment. Results show, that the female's decision to reproduce is under "Capital breeder" strategy, when size of the female positively influence litter size and offspring size. Surprising result is that smaller (younger) females are producing more sons than daughters in accordance with "Local resource competition" hypothesis. Fitness of the young should increase with birth size. That was confirmed only in interspecific survival rate being very high in Cuban boa. Keywords: snakes, Cuban boa, maternal investment, life history, SSD, sex ratio
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