Behavioral Thermoregulation and the Role of Melatonin in a Nocturnal Snake

Lutterschmidt, Deborah I.; Lutterschmidt, William I.; Ford, Neil B.; Hutchison, Victor H.

doi:10.1006/hbeh.2001.1721

Cited by 17 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Because nocturnal ectotherms are generally inactive during the photophase, most do not maintain behaviorally elevated T b during the daytime. Thus, nocturnal animals would not be expected to show a diel cycle in mean T p (Lutterschmidt et al, 2002). We did not find a diel cycle in this study.…”

Section: Article In Presscontrasting

confidence: 76%

“…Their T p is frequently very near 30 1C (reviewed in Lillywhite, 1987;Peterson et al, 1993). Only some fossorial, secretive, or nocturnal snakes show body temperatures below 25 1C (reviewed in Lillywhite, 1987;Lutterschmidt et al, 2002). Because nocturnal ectotherms are generally inactive during the photophase, most do not maintain behaviorally elevated T b during the daytime.…”

Section: Article In Pressmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Similarly, the temperature ecology of nocturnal snakes is poorly studied (Avery, 1982;Huey, 1982). However, in recent years, more studies have focused on this group (Dorcas and Peterson, 1998;Webb and Shine, 1998;Lutterschmidt et al, 2002;Mori et al, 2002). We investigated (1) the possible interference effects of a thermocouple, (2) the influence of seclusion and the presence of water in the gradient on the temperature-selecting behavior of T. s. stejnegeri, and (3) the postprandial thermophily of this nocturnal arboreal pitviper.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…The surface temperatures of blocks A-F were 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, and 1170.5 1C, respectively. A 40-h videotape record of the snake's movement was made with a visible and infrared light-sensitive camera and a monochrome time-lapse recorder (Lutterschmidt et al, 2002). An infrared light positioned 70 cm above the test chamber provided light for the scotophase recording.…”

Section: Article In Pressmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The common protocol to determine the T p of snakes in the laboratory is to measure the selected temperatures of snakes lying in a linear thigmothermal gradient (e.g. Peterson et al, 1993;Blouin-Demers and Weatherhead, 2001a;Lutterschmidt et al, 2002). A photothermal gradient is frequently used to determine the T p of diurnal lizards and turtles (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Postprandial thermophily of Chinese green tree vipers, Trimeresurus s. stejnegeri: Interfering factors on snake temperature selection in a thigmothermal gradient

Tsai¹,

Tu²

2005

Journal of Thermal Biology

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Section: Article In Presscontrasting

confidence: 76%

Section: Article In Pressmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Article In Pressmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Postprandial thermophily of Chinese green tree vipers, Trimeresurus s. stejnegeri: Interfering factors on snake temperature selection in a thigmothermal gradient

Tsai¹,

Tu²

2005

Journal of Thermal Biology

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Bashaw

Grant

et al. 2023

Health and Welfare of Captive Reptiles

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Physiological mechanisms of thermoregulation in reptiles: a review

2005

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Biological functions are dependent on the temperature of the organism. Animals may respond to fluctuation in the thermal environment by regulating their body temperature and by modifying physiological and biochemical rates. Phenotypic flexibility (reversible phenotypic plasticity, acclimation, or acclimatisation in rate functions occurs in all major taxonomic groups and may be considered as an ancestral condition. Within the Reptilia, representatives from all major groups show phenotypic flexibility in response to long-term or chronic changes in the thermal environment. Acclimation or acclimatisation in reptiles are most commonly assessed by measuring whole animal responses such as oxygen consumption, but whole animal responses are comprised of variation in individual traits such as enzyme activities, hormone expression, and cardiovascular functions. The challenge now lies in connecting the changes in the components to the functioning of the whole animal and its fitness. Experimental designs in research on reptilian thermal physiology should incorporate the capacity for reversible phenotypic plasticity as a null-hypothesis, because the significance of differential body temperature-performance relationships (thermal reaction norms) between individuals, populations, or species cannot be assessed without testing that null-hypothesis.

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Behavioral Thermoregulation and the Role of Melatonin in a Nocturnal Snake

Cited by 17 publications

References 37 publications

Postprandial thermophily of Chinese green tree vipers, Trimeresurus s. stejnegeri: Interfering factors on snake temperature selection in a thigmothermal gradient

Postprandial thermophily of Chinese green tree vipers, Trimeresurus s. stejnegeri: Interfering factors on snake temperature selection in a thigmothermal gradient

Miscellaneous Factors

Physiological mechanisms of thermoregulation in reptiles: a review

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