Face‐off: Novel depredation and nest defense behaviors between an invasive and a native predator in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA

Currylow, Andrea; McCollister, Matthew; Anderson, Gretchen E.; Josimovich, Jillian M.; Fitzgerald, Austin L.; Romagosa, Christina M.; Adams, Amy Yackel

doi:10.1002/ece3.8639

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Python 5 was emaciated with depleted fat bodies, had three retained eggs in the right oviduct, and contained an unidentified mass near the vent. It is worth noting that in four of the five cases only a small number of eggs were retained (n ≤ 5) when clutches from wild Burmese pythons in Florida can contain 62-87 eggs (Krysko et al, 2012, Josimovich et al, 2021, Currylow et al, 2022.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Egg retention in wild-caught [i]Python bivittatus[/i] in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA

Anderson¹

2022

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Retention of eggs in oviducts beyond the normal oviposition period is a common problem for captive reptiles, but the occurrence of egg retention in wild populations is largely unknown. The Burmese python (Python [molurus] bivittatus; Kühl 1820) is an oviparous snake native to south-eastern Asia that is now established in southern Florida. From 2011–2019, invasive Burmese pythons were opportunistically removed from Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve, humanely euthanised, and necropsied to determine reproductive condition. A total of 258 females of reproductive size were found to exhibit various stages of oviposition which generally aligned with purported annual reproductive timing. However, we encountered five pythons during the post-ovulatory period (Aug–Feb) showing signs of recent oviposition with retained eggs. Most of these cases comprised a small number of retained eggs, likely representing some portion of the total clutch. Because this condition is nearly absent in wild animal literature, our observations suggest retained eggs in wild snakes may be more common than previously assumed, possibly slowing or otherwise impacting population growth. However, we recognise that for an invasive species like the Burmese python in Florida, the egg retention rate may be higher in the non-native range compared to the native range due to maladaptation to novel habitats or environmental conditions. Additional research is needed to determine the exact causes of egg retention and investigate the implications for population dynamics on this and other snake species. Keywords: invasive species, dystocia, snakes, Burmese, reproduction

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Egg retention in wild-caught [i]Python bivittatus[/i] in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA

Anderson¹

2022

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“…To our knowledge tis is the largest clutch size ever documented for a free-ranging Burmese Python. Few studies have recorded oviposited clutch sizes for wild pythons (e.g., Hanslowe et al 2016;Josimovich et al 2021;Currylow et al 2022b), but there are several records of potential clutch sizes from necropsied individuals that include counts of later-stage reproductive structures (secondary follicles) or oviductal eggs (Krysko et al 2008;Krysko et al 2012). However, counts from necropsied animals, as opposed to oviposited nests, may overestimate actual clutch sizes (Currylow et al 2022a).…”

Section: O N S E R V At I O N a N D N At U R A L H I S T O R Ymentioning

confidence: 99%

Maximum clutch size of an invasive Burmese Python (Python bivittatus) in Florida, USA

Currylow

Evers

Anderson

et al. 2023

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N ative to southeastern Asia, the Burmese Python (Python bivittatus Kuhl 1820) is an invasive species established in southern Florida (Snow et al. 2007;Krysko et al. 2016;Krysko et al. 2019). Pythons are documented as having negative effects on the Greater Everglades Ecosystem and they have proven to be a complex problem for managers trying to control populations (Guzy et al. 2023). This species can move long distances (

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Size distribution and reproductive phenology of the invasive Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA

Currylow¹,

Falk²,

Adams³

et al. 2022

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The design of successful invasive species control programs is often hindered by the absence of basic demographic data on the targeted population. Establishment of invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida USA has led to local precipitous declines (> 90%) of mesomammal populations and is also a major threat to native populations of reptiles and birds. Efforts to control this species are ongoing but are hampered by the lack of access to and information on the expected biological patterns of pythons in southern Florida. We present data from more than 4,000 wild Burmese pythons that were removed in southern Florida over 26 years (1995–2021), the most robust dataset representing this invasive population to date. We used these data to characterize Burmese python size distribution, size at maturity, clutch size, and seasonal demographic and reproductive trends. We broadened the previously described size ranges by sex and, based on our newly defined size-stage classes, showed that males are smaller than females at sexual maturity, confirmed a positive correlation between maternal body size and potential clutch size, and developed predictive equations to facilitate demographic predictions. We also refined the annual breeding season (approx.100 days December into March), oviposition timing (May), and hatchling emergence and dispersal period (July through October) using correlations of capture morphometrics with observations of seasonal gonadal recrudescence (resurgence) and regression. Determination of reproductive output and timing can inform population models and help managers arrest population growth by targeting key aspects of python life history. These results define characteristics of the species in Florida and provide an enhanced understanding of the ecology and reproductive biology of Burmese pythons in their invasive Everglades range.

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Face‐off: Novel depredation and nest defense behaviors between an invasive and a native predator in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA

Cited by 4 publications

References 26 publications

Egg retention in wild-caught [i]Python bivittatus[/i] in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA

Egg retention in wild-caught [i]Python bivittatus[/i] in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA

Maximum clutch size of an invasive Burmese Python (Python bivittatus) in Florida, USA

Size distribution and reproductive phenology of the invasive Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA

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Face‐off: Novel depredation and nest defense behaviors between an invasive and a native predator in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA

Cited by 4 publications

References 26 publications

Egg retention in wild-caught [i]Python bivittatus[/i] in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA

Egg retention in wild-caught [i]Python bivittatus[/i] in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA

Maximum clutch size of an invasive Burmese Python (Python bivittatus) in Florida, USA

﻿Size distribution and reproductive phenology of the invasive Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA

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Size distribution and reproductive phenology of the invasive Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA