Effects of a Full Stomach on Locomotory Performance of Juvenile Garter Snakes (Thamnophis elegans)

Copeia ◽  
1983 ◽  
Vol 1983 (4) ◽  
pp. 1092 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theodore Garland ◽  
Stevan J. Arnold
Keyword(s):  
Garter Snakes ◽  
Full Stomach ◽  
Locomotory Performance ◽  
Thamnophis Elegans

Effects of hypoxia and hyperoxia on oxygen-transfer properties of the blood of a viviparous snake

1996 ◽  
Vol 199 (9) ◽  
pp. 2061-2070
Author(s):  
J Herman ◽  
R Ingermann
Keyword(s):  
Carrying Capacity ◽  
Oxygen Affinity ◽  
Blood Parameters ◽  
Pregnant Female ◽  
Molar Ratio ◽  
Nucleoside Triphosphate ◽  
Red Cell ◽  
Garter Snakes ◽  
Oxygen Carrying Capacity ◽  
Thamnophis Elegans

Red cell oxygen affinity, red cell nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) levels and blood oxygen-carrying capacity were determined for male, nonpregnant and pregnant female, and fetal garter snakes Thamnophis elegans exposed to hypoxia (5 % oxygen) and hyperoxia (100 % oxygen). Male and nonpregnant female snakes were maintained under these conditions for up to 3 weeks and exhibited an apparent maximal change in oxygen affinity after 14 days of hypoxia and hyperoxia. Red cell NTP levels decreased and oxygen affinity increased with exposure to hypoxia, while exposure to hyperoxia promoted an increase in red cell NTP concentrations and a decrease in red cell oxygen affinity in the males. Hyperoxia-exposed nonpregnant females did not show a significant change in oxygen affinity. After 14 days of hypoxia, the pregnant females showed an increase in red cell oxygen affinity which was associated with a decrease in red cell NTP concentration and in the molar ratio of NTP/hemoglobin relative to normoxic controls. Fourteen days of hyperoxia did not result in a change in oxygen affinity of red cells from the pregnant female, but did promote a slight increase red cell NTP concentrations. The blood parameters of fetuses from females exposed to hypoxia or hyperoxia did not differ from those of normoxic control fetuses. The fetuses of females exposed to hypoxia suffered greater mortality, appeared less developed and had a lower average wet mass than the fetuses of normoxic- and hyperoxic-exposed females. Neither hypoxia nor hyperoxia altered the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood in any group of snake.

Movement modeling and patterns of within- and among-individual behavioral variation across time scales in neonate garter snakes (Thamnophis elegans)

2021 ◽  
Vol 75 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric J. Gangloff ◽  
Vianey Leos-Barajas ◽  
Gabriel Demuth ◽  
Haozhe Zhang ◽  
Clint D. Kelly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Scales ◽  
Garter Snakes ◽  
Behavioral Variation ◽  
Thamnophis Elegans

Multiple paternity in the western terrestrial garter snake, Thamnophis elegans

2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (5) ◽  
pp. 656-663 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trenton W.J Garner ◽  
Karl W Larsen
Keyword(s):  
Microsatellite Dna ◽  
Multiple Paternity ◽  
Garter Snake ◽  
Dna Polymorphisms ◽  
Garter Snakes ◽  
Intersexual Conflict ◽  
Widespread Phenomenon ◽  
Thamnophis Elegans ◽  
Intersexual Conflicts

Multiple paternity may be a widespread phenomenon in snakes, but studies to date are inadequate for assessing the effect that phylogeny may have on paternity. Hypothetical mechanisms responsible for polyandry in snakes include intersexual conflicts and avoidance of genetic incompatibilities due to inbreeding. We analysed the offspring of six litters of western terrestrial garter snakes (Thamnophis elegans (Baird and Girard, 1853)) using microsatellite DNA polymorphisms. We directly detected multiple paternity in half of the litters, one of which exhibited triple paternity, and substantial skew of paternal contributions in all multiply sired litters. Females producing multiply sired offspring were heavier postpartum and produced larger litters, suggesting that larger females that invest more in reproduction are more likely to be multiply mated, a result supporting the hypothesis that polyandry is due to intersexual conflict. Continued investigations of paternity patterns within this genus are under way, but if the factors driving polyandry in snakes are to be identified, controlled laboratory crosses are required.

Microsatellite markers developed from Thamnophis elegans and Thamnophis sirtalis and their utility in three species of garter snakes

2004 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 369-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
TRENTON W. J. GARNER ◽  
PETER B. PEARMAN ◽  
PATRICK T. GREGORY ◽  
GIANCARLO TOMIO ◽  
STEPHEN G. WISCHNIOWSKI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microsatellite Markers ◽  
Thamnophis Sirtalis ◽  
Garter Snakes ◽  
Thamnophis Elegans

Feeding habits and diet overlap of three species of garter snakes (Thamnophis) on Vancouver Island

1978 ◽  
Vol 56 (9) ◽  
pp. 1967-1974 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick T. Gregory
Keyword(s):  
Prey Availability ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Vancouver Island ◽  
Niche Shift ◽  
Thamnophis Sirtalis ◽  
Garter Snakes ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Competition For Food ◽  
Thamnophis Elegans

Closely related, sympatrtc species of organisms often show resource partitioning. In this study, diet partitioning is examined in three sympalric species of garter snakes (Thamnophis) on Vancouver Island. Thamnophis sirtalis feeds mainly on amphibians and earthworms, Thamnophis ordinoides on earthworms and slugs, and Thamnophis elegans on slugs, fish, and small mammals. Thamnophis sirtalis and T. ordinoides, which are mote widely distributed on Vancouver Island than is T. elegans, have not been shown to modify their diets in the absence of T. elegans, but it is suggested that this lack of niche shift may be due to variations in prey availability. Neither innate differences in food preferences among the species nor interspecific competition for food have been shown to explain the observed differences in diet among the three species. Certain types of prey appear more likely than others to turn up in large numbers in stomach samples and it is suggested that this may be due to variations in ease of capture and (or) abundance. Possible explanations of the observed diets are discussed.

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