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Senji Laxme RR, Khochare S, Bhatia S, Martin G, Sunagar K. From birth to bite: the evolutionary ecology of India's medically most important snake venoms. BMC Biol 2024; 22:161. [PMID: 39075553 PMCID: PMC11287890 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01960-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Snake venoms can exhibit remarkable inter- and intraspecific variation. While diverse ecological and environmental factors are theorised to explain this variation, only a handful of studies have attempted to unravel their precise roles. This knowledge gap not only impedes our understanding of venom evolution but may also have dire consequences on snakebite treatment. To address this shortcoming, we investigated the evolutionary ecology of venoms of Russell's viper (Daboia russelii) and spectacled cobra (Naja naja), India's two clinically most important snakes responsible for an alarming number of human deaths and disabilities. METHODOLOGY Several individuals (n = 226) of D. russelii and N. naja belonging to multiple clutches (n = 9) and their mothers were maintained in captivity to source ontogenetic stage-specific venoms. Using various in vitro and in vivo assays, we assessed the significance of prey, ontogeny and sex in driving venom composition, function, and potency. RESULTS Considerable ontogenetic shifts in venom profiles were observed in D. russelii, with the venoms of newborns being many times as potent as juveniles and adults against mammalian (2.3-2.5 ×) and reptilian (2-10 ×) prey. This is the first documentation of the ontogenetic shift in viperine snakes. In stark contrast, N. naja, which shares a biogeographic distribution similar to D. russelii, deployed identical biochemical cocktails across development. Furthermore, the binding kinetics of cobra venom toxins against synthetic target receptors from various prey and predators shed light on the evolutionary arms race. CONCLUSIONS Our findings, therefore, provide fascinating insights into the roles of ecology and life history traits in shaping snake venoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- R R Senji Laxme
- Evolutionary Venomics Lab, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, Karnataka, India
| | - Suyog Khochare
- Evolutionary Venomics Lab, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, Karnataka, India
| | - Siddharth Bhatia
- Evolutionary Venomics Lab, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, Karnataka, India
| | - Gerard Martin
- The Liana Trust. Survey, #1418/1419 Rathnapuri, Hunsur, 571189, Karnataka, India
| | - Kartik Sunagar
- Evolutionary Venomics Lab, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, Karnataka, India.
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Ortiz-Medina JA, Cedeño-Vázquez JR, González-Solís D, Mata-Silva V. Intraspecific Variation in Diet Composition and Morphology of Yucatecan Cantils (Agkistrodon russeolus Gloyd 1972 [Serpentes: Viperidae]). HERPETOLOGICA 2022. [DOI: 10.1655/herpetologica-d-21-00033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Javier A. Ortiz-Medina
- Departamento de Sistemática y Ecología Acuática, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Unidad Chetumal, Avenida Centenario km 5.5, 77014, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, México
| | - J. Rogelio Cedeño-Vázquez
- Departamento de Sistemática y Ecología Acuática, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Unidad Chetumal, Avenida Centenario km 5.5, 77014, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, México
| | - David González-Solís
- Departamento de Sistemática y Ecología Acuática, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Unidad Chetumal, Avenida Centenario km 5.5, 77014, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Vicente Mata-Silva
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968-0500, USA
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3
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Quantifying Southern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus helleri) Hunting Behavior through Community Science. DIVERSITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/d13080349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
It is increasingly important to study animal behaviors as these are the first responses organisms mount against environmental changes. Rattlesnakes, in particular, are threatened by habitat loss and human activity, and require costly tracking by researchers to quantify the behaviors of wild individuals. Here, we show how photo-vouchered observations submitted by community members can be used to study cryptic predators like rattlesnakes. We utilized two platforms, iNaturalist and HerpMapper, to study the hunting behaviors of wild Southern Pacific Rattlesnakes. From 220 observation photos, we quantified the direction of the hunting coil (i.e., “handedness”), microhabitat use, timing of observations, and age of the snake. With these data, we looked at whether snakes exhibited an ontogenetic shift in behaviors. We found no age differences in coil direction. However, there was a difference in the microhabitats used by juveniles and adults while hunting. We also found that juveniles were most commonly observed during the spring, while adults were more consistently observed throughout the year. Overall, our study shows the potential of using community science to study the behaviors of cryptic predators.
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Diet and Feeding Frequency in the Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus pyrrhus): Ontogenetic, Sexual, Geographic, and Seasonal Variation. J HERPETOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1670/19-144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Pozas-Ocampo IF, Carbajal-Saucedo A, Gatica-Colima AB, Cordero-Tapia A, Arnaud-Franco G. Toxicological comparison of Crotalus ruber lucasensis venom from different ecoregions of the Baja California Peninsula. Toxicon 2020; 187:111-115. [PMID: 32896514 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.08.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The Baja California Peninsula possesses a mosaic of ecoregions that offers a wide variety of environments for the species that here inhabit. Here we report biological variations in. Crotalus ruber lucasensis venom from arid, semiarid and tropical eco-regions. Lethal (1.4-6.8 mg/kg), edematogenic (0.3-0.5 μg) and defibrinogenating (from non-detectable to 20 μg) activities were found to have significant differences among eco-regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iván Fernando Pozas-Ocampo
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Del Noroeste SC, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, #195 Col. Playa Palo Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, BCS, CP 23096, Mexico
| | | | - Ana Bertha Gatica-Colima
- Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Anillo Envolvente Del PRONAF y Estocolmo, S/n. Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, CP 32310, Mexico
| | - Amaury Cordero-Tapia
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Del Noroeste SC, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, #195 Col. Playa Palo Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, BCS, CP 23096, Mexico
| | - Gustavo Arnaud-Franco
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Del Noroeste SC, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, #195 Col. Playa Palo Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, BCS, CP 23096, Mexico.
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Carbajal-Márquez RA, Cedeño-Vázquez JR, González-Solís D, Martins M. Diet and Feeding Ecology of Crotalus tzabcan (Serpentes: Viperidae). SOUTH AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.2994/sajh-d-17-00081.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rubén A. Carbajal-Márquez
- Departamento de Sistemática y Ecología Acuática, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, unidad Chetumal, Av. Centenario km 5.5, Chetumal, 77014, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - J. Rogelio Cedeño-Vázquez
- Departamento de Sistemática y Ecología Acuática, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, unidad Chetumal, Av. Centenario km 5.5, Chetumal, 77014, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - David González-Solís
- Departamento de Sistemática y Ecología Acuática, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, unidad Chetumal, Av. Centenario km 5.5, Chetumal, 77014, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Marcio Martins
- Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, CEP 05508‑090, São Paulo 1146, Brazil
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Goiran C, Brown GP, Shine R. Niche partitioning within a population of sea snakes is constrained by ambient thermal homogeneity and small prey size. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blz206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
In many populations of terrestrial snakes, the phenotype of an individual (e.g. body size, sex, colour) affects its habitat use. One cause for that link is gape limitation, which can result in larger snakes eating prey that are found in different habitats. A second factor involves thermoregulatory opportunities, whereby individuals select habitats based upon thermal conditions. These ideas predict minimal intraspecific variation in habitat use in a species that eats small prey and lives in a thermally uniform habitat, such as the sea snake Emydocephalus annulatus, which feeds on tiny fish eggs and lives in inshore coral reefs. To test that prediction, we gathered data on water depths and substrate attributes for 1475 sightings of 128 free-ranging E. annulatus in a bay near Noumea, New Caledonia. Habitat selection varied among individuals, but with a preference for coral-dominated substrates. The body size and reproductive state of a snake affected its detectability in deep water, but overall habitat use was not linked to snake body size, colour morph, sex or pregnancy. A lack of ontogenetic shifts in habitat use allows extreme philopatry in E. annulatus, thereby reducing gene flow among populations and, potentially, delaying recolonization after local extirpation events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Goiran
- LabEx Corail & ISEA, Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, Nouméa cedex, New Caledonia
| | - Gregory P Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Richard Shine
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Venom Ontogeny in the Mexican Lance-Headed Rattlesnake ( Crotalus polystictus). Toxins (Basel) 2018; 10:toxins10070271. [PMID: 29970805 PMCID: PMC6070973 DOI: 10.3390/toxins10070271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
As trophic adaptations, rattlesnake venoms can vary in composition depending on several intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Ontogenetic changes in venom composition have been documented for numerous species, but little is known of the potential age-related changes in many rattlesnake species found in México. In the current study, venom samples collected from adult and neonate Crotalus polystictus from Estado de México were subjected to enzymatic and electrophoretic analyses, toxicity assays (LD50), and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and a pooled sample of adult venom was analyzed by shotgun proteomics. Electrophoretic profiles of adult males and females were quite similar, and only minor sex-based variation was noted. However, distinct differences were observed between venoms from adult females and their neonate offspring. Several prominent bands, including P-I and P-III snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs) and disintegrins (confirmed by MS/MS) were present in adult venoms and absent/greatly reduced in neonate venoms. Age-dependent differences in SVMP, kallikrein-like, phospholipase A2 (PLA2), and L-amino acid oxidase (LAAO) activity levels were confirmed by enzymatic activity assays, and like many other rattlesnake species, venoms from adult snakes have higher SVMP activity than neonate venoms. Conversely, PLA2 activity was approximately 2.5 × greater in venoms from neonates, likely contributing to the increased toxicity (neonate venom LD50 = 4.5 μg/g) towards non-Swiss albino mice when compared to adult venoms (LD50 = 5.5 μg/g). Thrombin-like (TLE) and phosphodiesterase activities did not vary significantly with age. A significant effect of sex (between adult male and adult female venoms) was also observed for SVMP, TLE, and LAAO activities. Analysis of pooled adult venom by LC-MS/MS identified 14 toxin protein families, dominated by bradykinin-inhibitory peptides, SVMPs (P-I, P-II and P-III), disintegrins, PLA2s, C-type-lectins, CRiSPs, serine proteinases, and LAAOs (96% of total venom proteins). Neonate and adult C. polystictus in this population consume almost exclusively mammals, suggesting that age-based differences in composition are related to physical differences in prey (e.g., surface-to-volume ratio differences) rather than taxonomic differences between prey. Venoms from adult C. polystictus fit a Type I pattern (high SVMP activity, lower toxicity), which is characteristic of many larger-bodied rattlesnakes of North America.
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Prey Species Influences Foraging Behaviors: Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius) Predation on Little Brown Skinks (Scincella lateralis) and Giant Centipedes (Scolopendra viridis). J HERPETOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1670/16-094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Glaudas X, Kearney TC, Alexander GJ. Museum Specimens Bias Measures of Snake Diet: A Case Study Using the Ambush-Foraging Puff Adder (Bitis arietans). HERPETOLOGICA 2017. [DOI: 10.1655/herpetologica-d-16-00055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Glaudas
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, PO Wits, 2050, South Africa
| | - Teresa C. Kearney
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, PO Wits, 2050, South Africa
- Vertebrate Department, Ditsong National Museum of Natural History, PO Box 413, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Graham J. Alexander
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, PO Wits, 2050, South Africa
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Hayes WK, Corbit AG, Cardwell MD, Herbert SS. Interfang Distances of Rattlesnakes: Sexual, Interspecific, and Body Size-related Variation, and Implications for Snakebite Research and Management. Wilderness Environ Med 2017; 28:101-107. [PMID: 28483391 DOI: 10.1016/j.wem.2017.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2016] [Revised: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Snakebite severity corresponds to size of snake because the amount of venom a snake injects is positively associated with snake size. Because fang marks are often present on snakebite patients, we tested whether the relationship between snake length and distance between fang puncture wounds can be generalized for rattlesnakes of genus Crotalus. METHODS We measured 2 interfang distances from 79 rattlesnakes of both sexes, 5 species, and varying body length: 1) distance between fang bases in anesthetized snakes, and 2) distance between fang punctures in a membrane-covered beaker bitten defensively. RESULTS Statistical analyses supported our 2 hypotheses, that 1) body size-related fang divergence during fang protraction (ie, anterolateral movement during fang erection), and 2) the relationship between snake length and interfang distance are similar between the sexes and among different rattlesnake species. We therefore derived a general equation to estimate snake length based on distance between fang marks, and recommended 5 snake size categories: very small (<10 mm), small (10-15 mm), medium (15-20 mm), large (20-25 mm), and very large (>25 mm). CONCLUSIONS The distance between fang marks on a snakebite patient may be used to estimate the size or size category of the offending snake, which in some cases may have predictive value for overall clinical severity of a given envenomation. Assessing interfang distance from puncture wounds can improve snakebite research and anticipation of snakebite severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- William K Hayes
- Department of Earth and Biological Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA (Drs Hayes, Corbit, and Herbert, and Mr Cardwell).
| | - Aaron G Corbit
- Department of Earth and Biological Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA (Drs Hayes, Corbit, and Herbert, and Mr Cardwell); Department of Biology, Southern Adventist University, Collegedale, TN (Dr Corbit)
| | - Michael D Cardwell
- Department of Earth and Biological Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA (Drs Hayes, Corbit, and Herbert, and Mr Cardwell); Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA (Mr Cardwell)
| | - Shelton S Herbert
- Department of Earth and Biological Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA (Drs Hayes, Corbit, and Herbert, and Mr Cardwell); Department of Biology, Pacific Union College, Angwin, CA (Dr Herbert)
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Venomics: integrative venom proteomics and beyond*. Biochem J 2017; 474:611-634. [DOI: 10.1042/bcj20160577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Revised: 12/31/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Venoms are integrated phenotypes that evolved independently in, and are used for predatory and defensive purposes by, a wide phylogenetic range of organisms. The same principles that contribute to the evolutionary success of venoms, contribute to making the study of venoms of great interest in such diverse fields as evolutionary ecology and biotechnology. Evolution is profoundly contingent, and nature also reinvents itself continuosly. Changes in a complex phenotypic trait, such as venom, reflect the influences of prior evolutionary history, chance events, and selection. Reconstructing the natural history of venoms, particularly those of snakes, which will be dealt with in more detail in this review, requires the integration of different levels of knowledge into a meaningful and comprehensive evolutionary framework for separating stochastic changes from adaptive evolution. The application of omics technologies and other disciplines have contributed to a qualitative and quantitative advance in the road map towards this goal. In this review we will make a foray into the world of animal venoms, discuss synergies and complementarities of the different approaches used in their study, and identify current bottlenecks that prevent inferring the evolutionary mechanisms and ecological constraints that molded snake venoms to their present-day variability landscape.
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Horesh SJA, Sivan J, Rosenstrauch A, Tesler I, Degen AA, Kam M. Seasonal biotic and abiotic factors affecting hunting strategy in free-living Saharan sand vipers, Cerastes vipera. Behav Processes 2016; 135:40-44. [PMID: 27899311 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2016.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Sit-and-wait ambushing and active hunting are two strategies used by predators to capture prey. In snakes, hunting strategy is conserved phylogenetically; most species employ only one strategy. Active hunters encounter and capture more prey but invest more energy in hunting and have higher risks of being predated. This trade-off is important to small predators. The small Cerastes vipera employs both modes of hunting, which is unlike most viperids which use only sit-and wait ambushing. This species hibernates in October and emerges in April. Energy intake should be high prior to hibernation to overcome the non-feeding hibernation period and for reproduction on their emergence. We predicted that more individuals would hunt actively towards hibernation and an abiotic factor would trigger this response. Furthermore, since more energy is required for active hunting, we predicted that snakes in good body condition would use active hunting to a greater extent than snakes in poor body condition. To test our predictions, we tracked free-living snakes year round and determined their hunting strategy, estimated their body condition index (BCI), and calculated circannual parameters of day length as environmental cues known to affect animal behaviour. Two novel findings emerged in this study, namely, hunting strategy was affected significantly by 1) the circannual change in day length and 2) by BCI. The proportion of active hunters increased from 5% in April to over 30% in October and BCI of active foragers was higher than that of sit-and-wait foragers and, therefore, our predictions were supported. The entrainment between the proportion of active hunting and the abiotic factor is indicative of an adaptive function for choosing a hunting strategy. A trend was evident among life stages. When all life stages were present (September-October), the proportion of active foragers increased with age: 0.0% among neonates, 18.2% among juveniles and 31.4% among adults. We concluded that vulnerable small neonates used sit-and-wait ambush not only as a hunting strategy but also as a hiding technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sefi J A Horesh
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel; Negev Zoo, P. O. B. 4033, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Jaim Sivan
- Department of Life Sciences, Achva Academic College, M.P. Shikmim, 79800, Israel; Department of Life Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel
| | - Avi Rosenstrauch
- Department of Life Sciences, Achva Academic College, M.P. Shikmim, 79800, Israel
| | - Itay Tesler
- Negev Zoo, P. O. B. 4033, Beer Sheva, Israel; Desert Animal Adaptations and Husbandry, Wyler Department of Dryland Agriculture, Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel
| | - A Allan Degen
- Desert Animal Adaptations and Husbandry, Wyler Department of Dryland Agriculture, Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel
| | - Michael Kam
- Desert Animal Adaptations and Husbandry, Wyler Department of Dryland Agriculture, Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel.
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Webber MM, Jezkova T, Rodríguez-Robles JA. Feeding Ecology of Sidewinder Rattlesnakes, Crotalus cerastes (Viperidae). HERPETOLOGICA 2016. [DOI: 10.1655/herpetologica-d-15-00031.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael M. Webber
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
| | - Tereza Jezkova
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
| | - Javier A. Rodríguez-Robles
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
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Clark RW, Dorr SW, Whitford MD, Freymiller GA, Hein SR. Comparison of anti-snake displays in the sympatric desert rodentsXerospermophilus tereticaudus(round-tailed ground squirrels) andDipodomys deserti(desert kangaroo rats). J Mammal 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyw137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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16
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Siers SR, Reed RN, Savidge JA. To cross or not to cross: modeling wildlife road crossings as a binary response variable with contextual predictors. Ecosphere 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Shane R. Siers
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado 80523 USA
| | - Robert N. Reed
- U.S. Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center Fort Collins Colorado 80526 USA
| | - Julie A. Savidge
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado 80523 USA
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Rojas Murcia LE, Carvajal Cogollo JE, Cabrejo Bello JA. REPTILES DEL BOSQUE SECO ESTACIONAL EN EL CARIBE COLOMBIANO: DISTRIBUCIÓN DE LOS HÁBITATS Y DEL RECURSO ALIMENTARIO. ACTA BIOLÓGICA COLOMBIANA 2016. [DOI: 10.15446/abc.v21n2.49393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
<p>Con el fin de caracterizar la distribución horizontal (repartición de los hábitats) y la utilización del recurso alimentario (tipo y tamaño de las presas) del ensamblaje de reptiles del bosque seco estacional al norte de la región Caribe de Colombia, en el departamento del Cesar, se realizaron cinco salidas de campo con una duración de doce días cada una. Los muestreos se realizaron en jornadas diurnas y nocturnas, en un diseño de transectos replicados a lo largo de diferentes hábitats que incluyeron: pastizales, bordes e interiores de bosque. Se realizaron análisis descriptivos de uso de hábitat en un perfil de vegetación por cada época climática y análisis de amplitud y sobreposición de nicho. Se registraron 38 especies de 14 familias del orden Squamata. Las especies se distribuyeron de manera homogénea entre zonas abiertas y boscosas. Se encontraron registros de 31 categorías de presa en 109 estómagos de seis especies de serpientes (61 estómagos) y siete de lagartos (48 estómagos) con un porcentaje de estómagos vacíos de 38 %. Las presas de mayor importancia para los lagartos fueron Coleoptera y Araneae, y para las serpientes fueron los anfibios. La mayoría de las especies presentaron un amplio espectro de dieta y entre especies similares, como entre Anolis auratus y A. gaigei, se presentó uso de recursos similares. En síntesis, el ensamblaje de reptiles presentó una distribución homogénea en los hábitats evaluados (áreas abiertas y boscosas) y el recurso alimentario fue variado entre las diferentes especies; la estacionalidad de la zona presenta un papel fundamental en la estructura del ensamblaje de reptiles, presentándose menos abundancia durante la época seca, tanto en las áreas abiertas como en las boscosas.</p><p><strong>Reptiles from the Seasonal Dry Forest the Caribbean Region: Distribution of Habitat and use of Food Resource</strong></p><p><strong>ABSTRACT</strong></p><p>We assessed the horizontal distribution and use of the food resource of the reptile’s assemblage of the seasonal tropical dry forest in the North of the Caribbean region of Colombia, department of Cesar. Five fieldtrips of 12 days each were performed, sampling was diurnal and nocturnal, following a transect design replicated along different habitats including grasslands, edge and interior of forest. We performed descriptive analyzes of habitat use, using a profile of vegetation by each climatic period; we also did an analysis of amplitude and niche overlap. We recorded 38 species of 14 families of the Squamata order. Species distributed evenly between open and forested areas. Record of 31 categories of prey in 109 stomachs of six species snakes (61 stomachs) and seven of lizards (48 stomachs) with a percentage of empty stomachs of 38 % was found. The preys of greater importance for the lizards were Coleoptera and Araneae and for snakes, amphibians. Most of the species presented a wide range of diet and between similar species, such as Anolis auratus and A. gaigei, found a similar use of resources. In summary, the assembly of reptiles presented a homogeneous distribution in the habitats evaluated (forested and open areas) and the food resource varied among the different species; the seasonality of the area plays a fundamental role on the structure of this reptile assembly with less abundance during the dry season in both, open and forested habitats.</p>
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Ecological aspects of the horned viper, Cerastes cerastes gasperettii in the central region of Saudi Arabia. Saudi J Biol Sci 2016; 23:135-8. [PMID: 26858550 PMCID: PMC4705254 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2015.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2015] [Revised: 10/11/2015] [Accepted: 10/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Feeding ecology of any species can help us to understand its natural history, ecological requirements and approaches involved in searching for food. Feeding ecology and sexual dimorphism in the horned viper, Cerastes cerastes gasperetti collected from the Al-Thumama area, central region of Saudi Arabia was described. The gut content of Cerastes c. gasperetti mainly consisted of rodents (70%) in addition to arthropods (15%) and lizards (10%). Least sexual size dimorphism was noticed in the species in terms of total length. Significant difference was noticed between males and females in terms of two correlation points vent tail length (VT) and total length (TL) with the males attaining a larger size (P < 0.05). The mean number of the dorsal body scales, ventrals and subcaudals for the females was 102, 156 and 33 scales respectively which were significantly different from respective ones in males 95, 160 and 38 scales. There are many aspects of the feeding of this snake that remain unknown and further studies are clearly needed.
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Diet of New Mexico Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake (Crotalus willardi obscurus) in the Sierra San Luis and Sierra Pan Duro, México. J HERPETOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1670/13-082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Putman BJ, Clark RW. The fear of unseen predators: ground squirrel tail flagging in the absence of snakes signals vigilance. Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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Keehn JE, Nieto NC, Tracy CR, Gienger CM, Feldman CR. Evolution on a desert island: body size divergence between the reptiles of
N
evada's
A
naho
I
sland and the mainland around
P
yramid
L
ake. J Zool (1987) 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. E. Keehn
- Department of Biology University of Nevada Reno Reno NV USA
| | - N. C. Nieto
- Department of Biological Sciences Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA
| | - C. R. Tracy
- Department of Biology University of Nevada Reno Reno NV USA
| | - C. M. Gienger
- Department of Biology and Center of Excellence for Field Biology Austin Peay State University Clarksville TN USA
| | - C. R. Feldman
- Department of Biology University of Nevada Reno Reno NV USA
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Feeding Ecology of the Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum, Colubridae) in the Western United States. J HERPETOL 2012. [DOI: 10.1670/10-091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Close M, Cundall D. Mammals as prey: Estimating ingestible size. J Morphol 2012; 273:1042-9. [DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2011] [Revised: 03/01/2012] [Accepted: 04/01/2012] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Dugan EA, Hayes WK. Diet and Feeding Ecology of the Red Diamond Rattlesnake, Crotalus ruber (Serpentes: Viperidae). HERPETOLOGICA 2012. [DOI: 10.1655/herpetologica-d-11-00008.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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MEIK JESSEM, SETSER KIRK, MOCIÑO-DELOYA ESTRELLA, LAWING AMICHELLE. Sexual differences in head form and diet in a population of Mexican lance-headed rattlesnakes, Crotalus polystictus. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2012.01881.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Barbour MA, Clark RW. Diel Cycles in Chemosensory Behaviors of Free-Ranging Rattlesnakes Lying in Wait for Prey. Ethology 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2012.02035.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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MORI A, TODA M. Feeding Characteristics of a Japanese Pitviper, Ovophis okinavensis, on Okinawa Island: Seasonally Biased but Ontogenetically Stable Exploitation on Small Frogs. CURRENT HERPETOLOGY 2011. [DOI: 10.5358/hsj.30.41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Hamilton BT, Nowak EM. Relationships between Insolation and Rattlesnake Hibernacula. WEST N AM NATURALIST 2009. [DOI: 10.3398/064.069.0305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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