Initial Den Location Behavior in a Litter of Neonate Crotalus horridus (Timber Rattlesnakes)

Cobb, Vincent A.; Green, J. Jeffrey; Worrall, Timothy; Pruett, Jake A.; Glorioso, Brad M.

doi:10.1656/1528-7092(2005)004[0723:idlbia]2.0.co;2

Cited by 29 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Jellen & Kowalski ), and within single litters (Cobb et al . ). Thus, regional differences in the contemporary population structure of massasaugas might be shaped both by variation in N e and landscape composition, but also by different local tendencies for dispersal of juveniles.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…This supports our assertion that the lack of spatial structure on the Bruce Peninsula could reflect a large N e . Few studies have investigated the spatial ecology of neonate snakes, but most agree that juveniles disperse shorter distances than adults on average (Webb & Shine 1997;Cobb et al 2005;Jellen & Kowalski 2007). However, studies also reveal considerable variation of juvenile dispersal distances among sampling years (Webb & Shine 1997), across populations of the same species (e.g.…”

Section: The Value Of Computer Simulationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The influence of landscape on gene flow in the eastern massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus c. catenatus): insight from computer simulations

et al. 2013

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Understanding how gene flow shapes contemporary population structure requires the explicit consideration of landscape composition and configuration. New landscape genetic approaches allow us to link such heterogeneity to gene flow within and among populations. However, the attribution of cause is difficult when landscape features are spatially correlated, or when genetic patterns reflect past events. We use spatial Bayesian clustering and landscape resistance analysis to identify the landscape features that influence gene flow across two regional populations of the eastern massasauga rattlesnake, Sistrurus c. catenatus. Based on spatially explicit simulations, we inferred how habitat distribution modulates gene flow and attempted to disentangle the effects of spatially confounded landscape features. We found genetic clustering across one regional landscape but not the other, and also local differences in the effect of landscape on gene flow. Beyond the effects of isolation-by-distance, water bodies appear to underlie genetic differentiation among individuals in one regional population. Significant effects of roads were additionally detected locally, but these effects are possibly confounded with the signal of water bodies. In contrast, we found no signal of isolation-by-distance or landscape effects on genetic structure in the other regional population. Our simulations imply that these local differences have arisen as a result of differences in population density or tendencies for juvenile rather than adult dispersal. Importantly, our simulations also demonstrate that the ability to detect the consequences of contemporary anthropogenic landscape features (e.g. roads) on gene flow may be compromised when long-standing natural features (e.g. water bodies) co-exist on the landscape.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: The Value Of Computer Simulationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of landscape on gene flow in the eastern massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus c. catenatus): insight from computer simulations

et al. 2013

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“…Fidelity to natal hibernacula persists despite the occurrence of other hibernacula within the seasonal migratory range of individuals; adult males from the AD region have been observed to move up to 7 km from their hibernaculum over the course of an active season (Brown 1993). Field and laboratory studies of timber rattlesnakes show that newborns follow scent trails of adults to locate suitable hibernacula (Brown & MacLean 1983; Reinert & Zappalorti 1988a; Cobb et al . 2005).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The majority of individuals return to their hibernaculum in the fall. Field observations also indicate that newborns generally recruit to their maternal hibernaculum (Cobb et al . 2005; Brown et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrating individual behaviour and landscape genetics: the population structure of timber rattlesnake hibernacula

Clark

Brown

Stechert³

et al. 2007

Molecular Ecology

108

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Individuals of many species show high levels of fidelity to natal populations, often due to reliance on patchily distributed habitat features. In many of these species, the negative impacts of inbreeding are mitigated through specialized behaviours such as seasonal mating dispersal. Quantifying population structure for species with these characteristics can potentially elucidate social and environmental factors that interact to affect mating behaviour and population connectivity. In the northern part of their range, timber rattlesnakes are communal hibernators with high natal philopatry. Individuals generally recruit to the same hibernaculum as their mother and remain faithful to that hibernaculum throughout their lives. We examined the genetic structure of Crotalus horridus hibernacula in the northeastern USA using microsatellite loci. Sampled hibernacula exhibited only modest levels of differentiation, indicating a significant level of gene flow among them. We found no significant correlation between genetic differentiation and geographical distance, but did find significant positive correlation between genetic differentiation and a cost-based distance metric adjusted to include the amount of potential basking habitat between hibernacula. Therefore, thermoregulation sites may increase gene flow by increasing the potential for contact among individuals from different populations. Parentage analyses confirmed high levels of philopatry of both sexes to their maternal hibernaculum; however, approximately one-third of paternity assignments involved individuals between hibernacula, confirming that gene flow among hibernacula occurs largely through seasonal male mating dispersal. Our results underscore the importance of integrating individual-level behaviours and landscape features with studies of fine-scale population genetics in species with high fidelity to patchily distributed habitats.

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“…The paucity of data is particularly noteworthy with snakes, where data from field studies are particularly lacking. There have been some studies on antipredator behavior (Herzog and Burghardt, 1986;Placyk and Burghardt, 2005;Gregory et al, 2007;Mori and Burghardt, 2008), snakes' innate dietary preferences (Burghardt, 1992;Burghardt and Krause, 1999;Burghardt et al, 2000), their ontogenetic switches (Mushinsky and Lotz, 1980;Savitzky and Burghardt, 2000), the ontogenetic changes in vipers' venom (Mackessy et al, 2003;Wray et al, 2015), and neonatal social behavior (Burghardt, 1983;Greene et al, 2002;Holycross and Fawcett, 2002;Cobb et al, 2005;Jellen and Kowalski, 2007;Reiserer et al, 2008;Howze et al, 2012). Only one field study seems to have addressed the natural history of neonatal basal snakes (Pizzatto et al, 2009).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural History of Neonatal Green Anacondas (Eunectes murinus): A Chip Off the Old Block

Rivas

Molina

Corey

et al. 2016

Copeia

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Initial Den Location Behavior in a Litter of Neonate Crotalus horridus (Timber Rattlesnakes)

Cited by 29 publications

References 7 publications

The influence of landscape on gene flow in the eastern massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus c. catenatus): insight from computer simulations

The influence of landscape on gene flow in the eastern massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus c. catenatus): insight from computer simulations

Integrating individual behaviour and landscape genetics: the population structure of timber rattlesnake hibernacula

Natural History of Neonatal Green Anacondas (Eunectes murinus): A Chip Off the Old Block

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