A Tabular Survey of Data on Movements and Home Ranges of Snakes

Macartney, J. Malcolm; Gregory, Patrick T.; Larsen, Karl W.

doi:10.2307/1564357

Cited by 133 publications

(84 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…The extent of the home range varies among and within species depending on factors such as reproductive status, sex, body size, season, prey availability and geographic location (Brown et al 2005, King & Duvall 1990, Macartney et al 1988,2003. However, small (young) snakes are rarely included in such studies (Macartney et al 1988).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial ecology of hatchling water pythons (Liasis fuscus) in tropical Australia

et al. 2009

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Young snakes are rarely seen in the field and little is known about their habits. mostly because they are too small for radio-telemetry (the primary method for Studying snake spatial ecology). However, the offspring or some larger species can be fitted with transmitters and we investigated the spatial ecology and habitat use of ten hatchling water pythons (Liasis fuscus: Pythonidae) in the floodplain of the Adelaide River, tropical Australia. Patterns of habitat use in the late wet season and during the dry season were similar to those of adults tracked in the same vicinity in an earlier study. Soon after release the young snakes moved to the floodplain, avoiding pasture areas. Diurnal refuge sites were typically in the base of grass clumps or below the soil surface. especially in sites with thick vegetation and deep, wide soil cracks. Adult snakes are more sedentary but move longer absolute distances (mean +/-SE = 252 +/-50 m wk(-1)) than hatchlings (66.3 +/-41 m wk(-1)). However, hatchling snakes moved longer distances relative to body size (84.4 +/-1.1 body lengths wk(-1)) than did the previously studied adults (66.0 +/-1.1 body lengths wk(-1)). Mean and minimum body temperatures of the hatchlings were correlated with mean and minimum air temperatures, respectively. Abstract: Young snakes are rarely seen in the field and little is known about their habits, mostly because they are too small for radio-telemetry (the primary method for studying snake spatial ecology). However, the offspring of some larger species can be fitted with transmitters and we investigated the spatial ecology and habitat use of ten hatchling water pythons (Liasis fuscus: Pythonidae) in the floodplain of the Adelaide River, tropical Australia. Patterns of habitat use in the late wet season and during the dry season were similar to those of adults tracked in the same vicinity in an earlier study. Soon after release the young snakes moved to the floodplain, avoiding pasture areas. Diurnal refuge sites were typically in the base of grass clumps or below the soil surface, especially in sites with thick vegetation and deep, wide soil cracks. Adult snakes are more sedentary but move longer absolute distances (mean ± SE = 252 ± 50 m wk −1 ) than hatchlings (66.3 ± 41 m wk −1 ). However, hatchling snakes moved longer distances relative to body size (84.4 ± 1.1 body lengths wk −1 ) than did the previously studied adults (66.0 ± 1.1 body lengths wk −1 ). Mean and minimum body temperatures of the hatchlings were correlated with mean and minimum air temperatures, respectively.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial ecology of hatchling water pythons (Liasis fuscus) in tropical Australia

et al. 2009

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“…However, male A. piscivorus occupied signifi cantly larger home ranges (1.86 ha 8 0.407: mean 8 SE) than nongravid females (0.372 ha 8 0.081) [Roth, 2005]. Although causal mechanisms are yet unclear, sex differences in home range size are common among snakes [Macartney et al, 1988;Reinert and Zappalorti, 1988;Fitzgerald et al, 2002;Whitaker and Shine, 2003]. Given sex differences in spatial use within this population of A. piscivorus , are there sex differences in relative MC and DC volume?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relative Medial and Dorsal Cortex Volume in Relation to Sex Differences in Spatial Ecology of a Snake Population

Roth

Lutterschmidt²,

Wilson³

2006

Brain Behav Evol

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In non-avian reptiles the medial and dorsal cortices are putative homologues of the hippocampal formation in mammals and birds. Studies on mammals and birds commonly report neuro-ecological correlations between hippocampal volume and aspects of spatial ecology. We examined the relationship between putative homologous cortical volumes and spatial use in a population of the squamate reptile, Agkistrodon piscivorus, that exhibits sex differences in spatial use. Do male A. piscivorus that inhabit larger home ranges than females also have larger putative hippocampal volumes? Male and female brains were sectioned and digitized to quantify regional cortical volumes. Although sex differences in dorsal cortex volume were not observed, males had a significantly larger medial cortex relative to telencephalon volume. Similar to studies on mammals and birds, relative hippocampal or medial cortex volume was positively correlated with patterns of spatial use. We demonstrate volumetric sex differences within a reptilian putative hippocampal homologue.

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“…In mobile animals, space utilisation, home range, and movement patterns are strongly influenced by both the temporal and spatial distribution of the resources, as well as the state (sex, age, condition, and health) of the individuals (Bury 1979;Savitz et al 1983;Ims 1987;Macartney et al 1988). Broadly speaking, essential resources fall into several major categories: physical, chemical, and biological resources (i.e., food, mates, etc.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex divergence in space utilisation in the steppe tortoise (Testudo horsfieldi)

Lagarde¹,

Bonnet²,

Henen³

et al. 2003

Can. J. Zool.

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Abstract:In animal species without parental care, the fitness of males should increase with the number of females encountered, court, and fertilise, and the fitness of females depends strongly on the quantity and quality of resources acquired. This should translate into a marked sex differences in the patterns of space utilisation. We analysed the sex divergences in home range and movements pattern in the steppe tortoise (Testudo horsfieldi) in Uzbekistan. From the radio-tracking data of 36 individuals throughout the active season, the home range of the male steppe tortoise was estimated to be smaller than that of the female (24 vs. 57 ha), even when the analysis focused on the mating season only. During the mating season, males intensively patrolled a small area, going back and forth within their territory, thereby covering greater distances than females. The females movements were more unidirectional, resulting in large loops over a very extended home range. We proposed several nonexclusive hypothesis for such a pattern.Résumé : Chez de nombreuses espèces animales dépourvues de soins parentaux, le succès reproducteur des mâles dépend du nombre de femelles qu'ils rencontrent, courtisent et parviennent à féconder et celui des femelles dépend fortement de la qualité et de la quantité des ressources trophiques qu'elles acquièrent. Cela se traduit souvent par des différences marquées dans les modes d'occupation de l'espace développés par chaque sexe. Dans cette étude, nous analysons les divergences sexuelles dans les domaines vitaux et les déplacements chez la tortue des steppes (Testudo horsfieldi) en Ouzbékistan. A partir d'un suivi par radio-tracking de 36 individus tout au long de la saison d'activité, le domaine vital des mâles s'est avéré plus petit que celui des femelles (24 contre 57 ha), même lorsque l'analyse est restreinte à la période d'accouplements. Ce résultat surprenant est partiellement clarifié lorsque la nature des déplacements est prise en compte. Durant la saison des accouplements, les mâles patrouillent intensivement un petit domaine vital, en réalisant de constants allers et retours, parcourant de plus grandes distances que les femelles. Les femelles réalisent de plus petits déplacements quotidiens, s'enchaînant en de larges boucles couvrant un domaine vital étendu. Différentes hypothèses non exclusives sont proposées pour expliquer ce pattern d'occupation de l'espace.

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A Tabular Survey of Data on Movements and Home Ranges of Snakes

Cited by 133 publications

References 21 publications

Spatial ecology of hatchling water pythons (Liasis fuscus) in tropical Australia

Spatial ecology of hatchling water pythons (Liasis fuscus) in tropical Australia

Relative Medial and Dorsal Cortex Volume in Relation to Sex Differences in Spatial Ecology of a Snake Population

Sex divergence in space utilisation in the steppe tortoise (Testudo horsfieldi)

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