Arboreal Mating Behaviors of the Big-Eyed Green Pit Viper (Trimeresurus macrops) in Northeast Thailand (Reptilia: Viperidae)

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“…In captivity, a similar behaviour was observed in Crotalus durissus terrificus (Almeida-Santos et al 1999). In Trimeresurus macrops biting is documented for a copulating male fighting a competitor (Strine et al 2018). Mate guarding, including biting a competitor has been described for Bogertophis subocularis (Rehák 1990).…”

“…Mate guarding, including biting a competitor has been described for Bogertophis subocularis (Rehák 1990). Biting as part of male-male rivalry behaviour in snakes in general has been documented for a few other snake species, but is still a rare event (Senter et al 2014) and has mainly been witnessed in captivity (Rehák 1990, Strine et al 2018). In the case of venomous snakes, highly ritualized male-male-combats are more common (Gillingham 1987in Rehák 1990, which also applies to the behaviour of Vipera berus (Andrén 1986).…”

“…The fact that the male Vipera berus did not use its fangs agrees with the description of "gentle bites" given in Rehák (1990) referring to (Hromádka & Vozenilek 1976). In contrast, the male Trimeresurus macrops used its fangs and even signs of enve-nomation occurred (Strine et al 2018). Vipera renardi males also used their fangs, but without visible effects (Krecsak & Toth 2005).…”

“…In the case of individuals kept in captivity, an explanation should be an unnatural high population density and the lack of opportunities for a defeated male to retreat (Almeida-Santos et al 1999, Krecsak & Toth 2005, Senter et al 2014, Strine et al 2018. In a malemale combat of Corallus enhydris enhydris the aggressiveness increased because the weaker male could not retreat, also the intensity of bites of a dominant male Lampropeltis getula californae increased because the subordinate male could not flee (Rehák 1990).…”

“…The documented male-male combat of Trimeresurus macrops also took place in an anthropogenic degraded urban area (Strine et al 2018), which may cause familiar pressures to the local population.…”