Size matters: penis size, sexual maturity and their consequences for giant armadillo conservation planning

Luba, Camila Nascimento; Kluyber, Danilo; Massocato, Gabriel Fávero; Attias, Nina; Fromme, Lilja; Rodrigues, A. L. R.; Ferreira, Ana Maria Reis; Desbiez, Arnaud Léonard Jean

doi:10.1007/s42991-020-00065-3

Cited by 15 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 36 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Therefore, the intense parental care period was likely over when we first caught TC-04, because otherwise we would have recorded TC-10 using TC-04's burrows (Desbiez et al, 2020b). Furthermore, P. maximus gestation is five months long (Desbiez et al, 2020b), and individuals are estimated to reach sexual maturity between 6.5 to 8 years of age (Luba et al, 2020). Hence, TC-04 was at least 8.5 to 10 years old when first captured, assuming she reproduced right after achieving sexual maturity and that TC-10 resulted from her first breeding event.…”

Section: Fazenda Baia Das Pedras Brazilmentioning

confidence: 99%

First estimates of potential lifespan of giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus) in the wild

Desbiez¹,

Larsen²,

Massocato³

et al. 2021

Edentata: The Newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Anteater, Sloth and Ar

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper reports on results from two camera trapping initiatives where individual giant armadillos, Priodontes maximus, were identified and monitored over multiple years, thus providing insights into their potential lifespan. One camera trap array was located in the Brazilian Pantanal, in Mato Grosso do Sul, where an adult female was first identified in October 2011 and documented again in January 2021, leading us to estimate her age as at least 17.5 years old. The other camera trap array was located at the border of the Chaco alluvial plains in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, where a female was first registered in June 2004 and then again in January 2019; we estimate her age to be at least 18 years old. While recognizing that these two data points are insufficient to evaluate life expectancy of the species, this paper does provide the first evidence of potential lifespan of wild P. maximus. It also shows that both females were documented in the same area after intervals of 10 and 15 years, providing new clues on long-term site fidelity. This paper highlights the importance of long-term camera trap arrays for the study of cryptic nocturnal mammals that are long lived and occur at low densities.

show abstract

Section: Fazenda Baia Das Pedras Brazilmentioning

confidence: 99%

First estimates of potential lifespan of giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus) in the wild

Desbiez¹,

Larsen²,

Massocato³

et al. 2021

Edentata: The Newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Anteater, Sloth and Ar

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…To age giant armadillos and gather data on potential lifespan, we must rely on capture/recapture and individual markings. Since 2010, the Giant Armadillo Conservation Program has captured a total of 34 individual giant armadillos and has shown that it is possible to distinguish subadults and adults through morphometric measures (Desbiez et al, 2019), as well as by inspecting their genitals Luba et al, 2020). However, once animals have reached full adult size and sexual maturity, it is impossible to guess their age based on these morphological characters.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There are a number of reasons to suspect a long lifespan for P. maximus. First, recent publications on giant armadillos highlight the low population growth rate of the species, with sexual maturity occurring around 6.5 to 8 years of age (Luba et al, 2020), and long parental care; the only documented interbirth interval is three years (Desbiez et al, 2020b). These traits are usually associated with K-selected species that are typically long-lived (Pianka, 1970).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While the r/K selection paradigm has been displaced by demographic models, these general traits still hold true. Second, age at maturity also is usually proportional to adult lifespan (Magalhães et al, 2007), and giant armadillos reach sexual maturity late compared to other species of armadillo (Luba et al, 2020). Third, larger animals live longer (Speakman, 2005).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…mass and penis size (following Luba et al, 2020). The age estimates for TC-10 are also based on interbreeding interval and length of parental care estimates for the species (Desbiez et al, 2020b).…”

Section: A B Cmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Untitled

2021

Edentata: The Newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Anteater, Sloth and Ar

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Dorsal carapace and osteoderm morphological features have traditionally been widely used in both extinct and extant armadillo systematics. However, the intraspecific variability at the carapace level represents a little studied aspect. In this contribution, we analyzed several dorsal carapaces of Priodontes maximus with the purpose of recording such variability. As a result, we describe a total of seven structures concerning the dorsal carapace osteoderm configuration, including distinct terminations of the osteoderm rows, and the most frequent aberrant shapes of the osteoderms. Though the same type of structure can be usually found in several specimens, its frequency and precise location within the carapace are unique to each individual. In this sense, besides improving anatomical descriptions, the identification of these structures can be potentially implemented as a complementary method to help recognize specific individuals being tracked. Moreover, it can represent a very effective recognition method even a long time after death. Given the general decreasing trend of P. maximus populations, it is important to develop as many monitoring tools as possible, in order to support conservation programs for this species.

show abstract

Dietary habits of the giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus) in the Brazilian wetlands

Teixeira Nascimento,

Attias,

Galvão Santana

et al. 2024

Mamm Res

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Size matters: penis size, sexual maturity and their consequences for giant armadillo conservation planning

Cited by 15 publications

References 36 publications

First estimates of potential lifespan of giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus) in the wild

First estimates of potential lifespan of giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus) in the wild

Untitled

Dietary habits of the giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus) in the Brazilian wetlands

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About