Morphological variability and body growth on four populations of Crocodylus moreletii in captivity

Abstract

The main goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of captivity upon morphological characteristics and body growth rates of the Morelet’s crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii). The studied individuals are currently reared in the Management Unit for Wildlife Conservation (Cacahuatal), located at Veracruz, Mexico. Four populations were compared: individuals from 2 of them were born in wild conditions, whereas individuals from the other 2, were born in captivity. Morphology was similar among populations and between sexes. Body growth rates were significantly different among populations, those individuals born in natural conditions grew faster than those born in captivity. We conclude that captivity does not seem to affect the morphological expression of C. moreletii in comparison with a significant effect upon the rate of body growth. These results show that different populations of C. moreletii can exhibit differential body growth patterns depending on the conditions experienced in captivity.