Comparison of the Relative Abundance of Potential Prey to the Diet of the Louisiana Pine Snake (Pituophis ruthveni)

Broussard, Alyssa A.; Hoffman, James C.; Lyons, Eddie K.; LeMieux, Frederick

doi:10.1656/058.021.0202

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…Louisiana pinesnakes exhibit a maternal investment strategy of producing large eggs and small clutches (4–6 average); however as a nest has yet to be found in the wild for this species, knowledge of reasons for this strategy is limited. It is possible that body condition, previous history, environment [ 28 ], or other natural history characteristics [ 29 , 30 ] and prey preference [ 31 ] could contribute to this investment strategy, but exact reasons are unknown and beyond the scope of this paper.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrasound Description of Follicular Development in the Louisiana Pinesnake (Pituophis ruthveni, Stull 1929)

Oliveri

Sandfoss

Reichling

et al. 2022

Animals

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Accurate monitoring of reproductive activity is necessary for success of captive breeding and recovery of endangered species. Using ultrasonography, we aimed to describe the stages of follicle development of the endangered Louisiana pinesnake (Pituophis ruthveni). Ultrasound procedures were performed weekly for 11 females during the 2020 reproductive season by submerging the last half of an unanesthetized female in water and using a 3.0–10.0 MHz linear array transducer placed and moved along the gastrosteges to explore the whole reproductive tract. The presence of follicles, their size, echogenicity, and stage of development was assessed. We observed small, round, anechoic, linearly aligned previtellogenic follicles in the coelom at the beginning of the reproductive season and found that structures dramatically increased in size and shifted in echogenicity as follicles matured and developed before and after ovulation. We classified follicles according to ultrasonographic appearance into 7 different follicle categories: previtellogenic, early vitellogenic, vitellogenic, preovulatory, peri-ovulatory, post ovulatory, and shelled. Using ultrasound, we developed markers of progressive follicular maturation for the Louisiana pinesnake and identified signs of abnormal development and post ovulatory follicle reabsorption. Detailed description of follicular maturation will be useful to improve captive breeding successes, identify mechanisms of reproductive failure, and develop artificial insemination.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%