Population estimators and adult sex ratio for a population of <em>Bolitoglossa altamazonica</em> (Caudata: Plethodontidae)

Abstract

Bolitoglossa altamazonica is the species of plethodontid salamander with the widest distribution in the tropics. However, while aspects related to population size, survival rates, recruitment, sex ratios along with other life history traits are well documented for temperate salamanders, such information is relatively scarce for tropical species. We conducted an intensive capture-recapture study on a population of B. altamazonica. We used the Jolly-Seber method to estimate three parameters (size, recruitment and survivorship) for the population as a whole, as well as for males, females and juveniles separately. All these parameters varied monthly for each class and the entire population. Juvenile recruitment occurred between november and july. Survivorship of juveniles increased when there was no recruitment at all. The adult sex ratio during the breeding season was significantly biased towards females (up to 1:3 depending on the month).