The British Herpetological Society

The Herpetological Journal is the Society's prestigious quarterly scientific journal. Articles are listed in Biological Abstracts, Current Awareness in Biological Sciences,Current Contents, Science Citation Index, and Zoological Record.

 ISSN 0268-0130

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pdf 03. Fungal diversity on broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris) eggs, and their effects on hatchlings

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pp. 217-223
Authors: Nuñez Otaño, Noelia Betiana; Piña, Carlos I.; Bucsinsky, Ana & Arambarri, Angélica M.M.

Abstract: Studies describing and identifying mycobiota affecting the eggs of wild reptiles are rare, despite the potential importance of mycoses for the survival and performance of individuals and populations. The aim of this study was to identify the fungal species on eggshell and eggshell membranes of C. latirostris and to discover potential compositional changes between these two substrates. Twenty-four species of fungi were isolated from eggshells and 17 species were isolated from membranes; 10 species were shared between both substrates. Saprophytic fungi comprised 64.1% of eggshell and 59.4% of eggshell membranes mycobiota, respectively. Potentially pathogenic fungi occurred more frequently on the eggshell membrane (71.4%). From pathogenic assays we cannot conclude that fungi like Aspergillus fumigatus and Fusarium oxysporum have a negative effect on hatching success, weight and snout-vent length of C. latirostris hatchlings.

Keywords: EGG COLONISATION, FUNGAL DIVERSITY, TRANS-SHELL INFECTION, CAIMAN LATIROSTRIS

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IMPORTANT NOTE - JUNE 2020

Please note that as from Volume 31 Number 1 (January 2021) on, the Herpetological Journal will be available as an online publication only - the last print edition will be Volume 30 Number 4.   

Aligning with this change, it is now no longer possible to purchase a subscription that includes a print copy of the HJ.  All members who have existing HJ print subscriptions that remain active as at end June 2020 will receive the full four 2020 print editions.  New subscribers or renewals after this time will only have option to subscribe to the online only subscription package.  Subscription pricing has been amended to reflect the content changes.