Resumen

HERNANDEZ, Omar  y  BOEDE, Ernesto O. Relation between female size and egg production in red-footed tortoise Geochelone (Chelonoidis) carbonaria (Spix, 1824) in a comercial farm in Venezuela. INCI [online]. 2008, vol.33, n.6, pp.461-466. ISSN 0378-1844.

In order to determine the reproductive strategy of Goechelone carbonaria, inasmuch egg production and its relationship with body size, three groups (I, II, III) of 12 females each were selected, with averages of 364.50, 303.75 and 254.66mm, respectively, in lineal size of the carapace. The selected specimens were kept under similar nutritional and density conditions. The observations were made between May 1997 and March 1998. Very few variations were found with respect to the average number of nests per group, without any tendency in relation to the size of the female. The total number of eggs per female per season increased with female size. Statistically significant differences were found between the three groups with respect to egg size (maximal length, minimal lenght and volume) and nest size, all of which increased together with the female size. The duration of the reproductive season of groups I, II and III was 160, 207 and 191 days, respectively, suggesting that larger animals improve their performance with a reduced nesting season. There were no significant differences in the incubation time according to egg size. The results corroborate that this species does not behave according to the theory of the optimum egg size. A record maximum of 8 nests per season and a record nest size of 13 eggs are reported.

Palabras clave : Cría en Cautiverio ; Geochelone carbonaria ; Tamaño Corporal ; Tamaño del Huevo ; Tamaño del Nido .