RESUMO
We analyzed the frequency of tail autotomy, toe amputation and integument scars in three sympatric lizard species, Ameivula ocellifera, Tropidurus hispidus and T. semitaeniatus, from a Neotropical area of semi-arid Caatinga, in northeastern Brazil. We evaluated intraspecific differences in the frequency of injuries between the sexes within each species. Only in A. ocellifera there were differences in frequency of toe amputation and integument scars between males and females, with more injured females than males. This highest frequency of body injuries in females of A. ocellifera might be attributed to the mating behavior of the species, in which males bite and scratch the females. None of the species analyzed presented intersexual differences in frequency of tail autotomy. These findings might be due to similar predation pressure upon males and females as suggested for other lizards species.
RESUMO
We analyzed the frequency of tail autotomy, toe amputation and integument scars in three sympatric lizard species, Ameivula ocellifera, Tropidurus hispidus and T. semitaeniatus, from a Neotropical area of semi-arid Caatinga, in northeastern Brazil. We evaluated intraspecific differences in the frequency of injuries between the sexes within each species. Only in A. ocellifera there were differences in frequency of toe amputation and integument scars between males and females, with more injured females than males. This highest frequency of body injuries in females of A. ocellifera might be attributed to the mating behavior of the species, in which males bite and scratch the females. None of the species analyzed presented intersexual differences in frequency of tail autotomy. These findings might be due to similar predation pressure upon males and females as suggested for other lizards species.
RESUMO
We analyzed the frequency of tail autotomy, toe amputation and integument scars in three sympatric lizard species, Ameivula ocellifera, Tropidurus hispidus and T. semitaeniatus, from a Neotropical area of semi-arid Caatinga, in northeastern Brazil. We evaluated intraspecific differences in the frequency of injuries between the sexes within each species. Only in A. ocellifera there were differences in frequency of toe amputation and integument scars between males and females, with more injured females than males. This highest frequency of body injuries in females of A. ocellifera might be attributed to the mating behavior of the species, in which males bite and scratch the females. None of the species analyzed presented intersexual differences in frequency of tail autotomy. These findings might be due to similar predation pressure upon males and females as suggested for other lizards species.
RESUMO
Es bien sabido que el trauma cráneo encefálico es un importante contribuyente dentro de las causas de muertes traumáticas, sin embargo en Costa Rica no existen estadísticas actualizadas al respecto. En este trabajo se analizaron las muertes provocadas por este tipo de trauma en el año 2004 para determinar sus características demográficas, ubicación temporal y geográfica, etiología médico legal y las lesiones específicas que provocaron la muerte. Se concluyó, después del análisis de los datos obtenidos, que la mayoría de muertes son prevenibles (accidentes de tránsito, heridas por proyectil de arma de fuego), que las lesiones más frecuentes son las producidas por traumatismos sin objeto animado (non missile injuries), que las lesiones anotadas como causa ulterior de muerte son predominantemente la contusión y laceración cerebral, pero que existe un subdiagnóstico de lesiones letales como el daño axonal difuso, por dificultades técnicas. No obstante el resto del perfil epidemiológico de las víctimas (masculino, de edad laboralmente productiva y habitante de ciudad) coinciden con la bibliografía más reciente revisada.
It's a well-known fact the importance of head injury as causes of death on violent deaths around the world; however in Costa Rica there're not current statistics about this phenomenon. In this paper we analyzed this kind of violent deaths in 2004 for to define its demographic, geographic and chronological characteristics. Also, for analyzing its medico-legal etiology and its specific lethal injury. The conclusions of this paper were: in most cases lethal injury was subject to prevention, because they were caused by traffic accidents or gunshots. The non missile injury, the head experiments a suddenly acceleration, it was the main mechanism involved in lethal injuries. Principal injuries notated as main cause of death in the final autopsy report were brain contusion and lacerations, however there were a sub diagnosis of lethal injuries like diffuse axonal damage due a technical problems. The epidemiological profile of the victims (economically active male, and city inhabitant) coincided with recent bibliography.