Reproductive cycle of free-living male Saharan sand vipers, Cerastes vipera (Viperidae) in the Negev desert, Israel

Sivan, Jaim; Kam, Michael; Hadad, Shlomo; Degen, A. Allan; Rozenboim, Israel; Rosenstrauch, Avi

doi:10.1016/j.ygcen.2012.08.021

Cited by 14 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…In the same sense, was described in snakes (Cerastes vipera and Psammophis sibilans), a larger diameter and short epithelial linings during reproductive season as a result of elongation of stored spermatozoids (Sivan et al 2012, AMER et al 1978. We conclude that vas deferens is the main sperm storage organ on the scorpion mud turtle, presenting a large number of spermatozoids in reproductive season, and morphological findings that represent an adaptation to its function.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

Seasonal morphological variation of the vas deferens of scorpion mud turtle (Kinosternon scorpioides)

et al. 2014

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1676-06032014006413Abstract: This study aimed to characterize the morphology of the vas deferens of Kinosteron scorpioides by macroscopic and microscopic analysis. Were used 20 adult male jurará s collected at regular intervals during the year and divided into four experimental groups in the rainy and dry seasons, being processed for light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Morphometry for tubular and luminal diameters and epithelial height were also performed. On rainy season, vas deferens presented pseudostratified epithelium with cylindrical cells, spermatozoids and milky fluid in the lumen, with cytoplasmic organelles and lipid vesicles. On dry season, epithelium was pseudostratified with cuboid cells, with cellular debris and no spermatozoids. Resumo: Este estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar a morfologia dos ductos deferentes de Kinosteron scorpioides por meio de aná lise macroscó pica e microscó pica. Foram utilizados 20 machos adultos, coletados em intervalos regulares durante o ano, os quais foram divididos em quatro grupos experimentais nas estaçõ es chuvosa e seca. Os ductos deferentes foram processados para aná lise por microscopia de luz, microscopia eletrô nica de varredura e microscopia eletrô nica de transmissão. Morfometria para diâ metros tubular e luminal e altura epitelial também foram realizadas. Na época das chuvas, o ducto deferente apresentou epitélio pseudoestratificado com células cilíndricas, espermatozoides e líquido leitoso no lú men, além de com organelas citoplasmá ticas e vesículas lipídicas. Na estaçã o seca, o epitélio do ducto deferente foi do tipo pseudoestratificado com células cuboides e debris celulares, sendo que nenhum espermatozoide foi encontrado nesta estaçã o. Houve variaçã o significativa (p ,0,05) para a morfometria dos ductos deferentes, com menores valores de diâ metros tubular e luminal na estaçã o chuvosa, e maior altura do epitélio na estaçã o seca.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

Seasonal morphological variation of the vas deferens of scorpion mud turtle (Kinosternon scorpioides)

et al. 2014

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“…Related gerbil species partition activity time during the night [ 69 ]. It is an interesting and open question whether sand vipers do so too, as the larger C. cerastes co-occurs with the smaller C. vipera in the same habitats [ 34 ]. Furthermore, although the vipers use both ambush and active foraging, the allocated time to each of the two foraging modes is unknown.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although the rodents' predators, such as barn owls, vipers and red foxes, affect their foraging behaviour [31,32], such and other similar predators have been less frequently studied. An exception is the sand viper, Cerastes vipera: many aspects of its foraging behaviour, such as hunting method, foraging mode and inter-sexual behavioural differences, are known [33][34][35][36]. That said, we know almost nothing about another common viper in the Sahara Desert in general and the western Negev in particular-the desert horned viper (Cerastes cerastes).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Foraging behaviour, habitat use and population size of the desert horned viper in the Negev desert

et al. 2022

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The desert horned viper occurs in the dunes of the northwestern Negev desert, Israel. We report on a 2 year study on the viper's behaviour and ecology in its natural habitat. We examined whether the vipers moved faster in a vegetation-dense microhabitat versus an open dune area and detected much slower movement in the former. We nevertheless detected no preference of the vipers for any of the dune areas. We suggest that the vipers trade-off the ease of movement on open areas with prey, which is probably more available in areas with denser vegetation. The activity was higher early in the season and the vipers were mostly active right after sunset, with a second smaller activity peak at sunrise, perhaps searching for burrows to spend the day. Fitting this explanation, movement at the track's end was less directional than at its beginning. We found inter-sexual and between-year differences. For example, females were larger than males in the second year of the study but not in the first one and the population seemed to be smaller in the second year of the study than in its first year. The information we provide on this viper may assist its conservation, as sand dunes are threatened habitats in Israel.

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“…vipera females mate in spring (Sivan et al, 2012) and give birth from mid to end August. By abdominal palpation, we felt three to four eggs in each of 6 females in this study.…”

Section: Body Conditionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The two species have several characteristics in common: they (1) are psammophilic (sand-dwelling); (2) are active under the same climatic conditions (Goldreich, 2003); (3) are mainly nocturnal (Sivan et al, 2013); (4) subsist primarily on lizards (Amr and Disi, 2011;Sivan et al, 2013); (5) are relatively small e less than 50 cm (Arbel, 1984;Bouskila and Amitai, 2001); and (6) hibernate between autumn (~November) and spring (~March). However, they differ in that: (1) C. vipera moves by sidewinding (Subach et al, 2009) while L. diadema uses serpentine movement (Amr and Disi, 2011); (2) C. vipera is a sitand-wait ambusher (Heatwole and Davidson, 1976) while L. diadema is an active hunter (Bar and Haimovitch, 2011); (3) C. vipera is ovoviparous while L. diadema is oviparous; (4) C. vipera is venomous while L. diadema is nonvenomous; and (5) C. vipera mate in early spring while L. diadema mate in late spring/early summer (Sivan et al, 2012(Sivan et al, , 2013.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Body size and seasonal body condition in two small coexisting desert snake species, the Saharan sand viper (Cerastes vipera) and the crowned leafnose (Lytorhynchus diadema)

Sivan

Kam

Hadad

et al. 2015

Journal of Arid Environments

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Reproductive cycle of free-living male Saharan sand vipers, Cerastes vipera (Viperidae) in the Negev desert, Israel

Cited by 14 publications

References 26 publications

Seasonal morphological variation of the vas deferens of scorpion mud turtle (Kinosternon scorpioides)

Seasonal morphological variation of the vas deferens of scorpion mud turtle (Kinosternon scorpioides)

Foraging behaviour, habitat use and population size of the desert horned viper in the Negev desert

Body size and seasonal body condition in two small coexisting desert snake species, the Saharan sand viper (Cerastes vipera) and the crowned leafnose (Lytorhynchus diadema)

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