Thermoregulation by a Brooding Burmese Python (Python Molurus Bivittatus) in Florida

Snow, Ray W.; Wolf, Alexander J.; Greeves, Brian W.; Cherkiss, Michael S.; Hill, Robert H.; Mazzotti, Frank J.

doi:10.1656/058.009.0215

Cited by 24 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Like most pythons but unlike most other snakes, female Burmese pythons exhibit extended maternal care of eggs. After oviposition, the female remains coiled around the eggs until they hatch (Valenciennes 1841;Wall 1921;Snow et al 2010). Parental care ceases once hatchlings leave the nest.…”

Section: High Degree Of Parental Carementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Parental care ceases once hatchlings leave the nest. Among a few species of high-latitude or highelevation pythons, including Burmese pythons, females engage in shivering thermogenesis to raise embryonic temperatures during cool periods (Hutchison et al 1966;Vinegar et al 1970;Snow et al 2010). When compared to snake species exhibiting no parental care, nest attendance and thermogenesis by Burmese pythons undoubtedly increase embryo survival by discouraging potential nest predators and maintaining optimal temperatures for development.…”

Section: High Degree Of Parental Carementioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecological correlates of invasion impact for Burmese pythons in Florida

Reed

Willson

Rodda

et al. 2012

Integrative Zoology

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An invasive population of Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) is established across several thousand square kilometers of southern Florida and appears to have caused precipitous population declines among several species of native mammals. Why has this giant snake had such great success as an invasive species when many established reptiles have failed to spread? We scored the Burmese python for each of 15 literature-based attributes relative to predefined comparison groups from a diverse range of taxa and provide a review of the natural history and ecology of Burmese pythons relevant to each attribute. We focused on attributes linked to spread and magnitude of impacts rather than establishment success. Our results suggest that attributes related to body size and generalism appeared to be particularly applicable to the Burmese python's success in Florida. The attributes with the highest scores were: high reproductive potential, low vulnerability to predation, large adult body size, large offspring size and high dietary breadth. However, attributes of ectotherms in general and pythons in particular (including predatory mode, energetic efficiency and social interactions) might have also contributed to invasion success. Although establishment risk assessments are an important initial step in prevention of new establishments, evaluating species in terms of their potential for spreading widely and negatively impacting ecosystems might become part of the means by which resource managers prioritize control efforts in environments with large numbers of introduced species.

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Section: High Degree Of Parental Carementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: High Degree Of Parental Carementioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological correlates of invasion impact for Burmese pythons in Florida

Reed

Willson

Rodda

et al. 2012

Integrative Zoology

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show abstract

“…It is an animal with high body mass, and high fecundity and longevity, factors that may be linked to a greater establishment success [ 25 , 73 , 107 , 109 ]. The species shows parental care with its eggs, which decreases the chances of predation and increases the survival of offspring [ 110 ]. Females of P .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pet snakes illegally marketed in Brazil: Climatic viability and establishment risk

et al. 2017

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Invasive species are one among many threats to biodiversity. Brazil has been spared, generically, of several destructive invasive species. Reports of invasive snakes’ populations are nonexistent, but the illegal pet trade might change this scenario. Despite the Brazilian laws forbid to import most animals, illegal trade is frequently observed and propagules are found in the wild. The high species richness within Brazilian biomes and accelerated fragmentation of natural reserves are a critical factors facilitating successful invasion. An efficient way to ease damages caused by invasive species is identifying potential invaders and consequent prevention of introductions. For the identification of potential invaders many factors need to be considered, including estimates of climate matching between areas (native vs. invaded). Ecological niche modelling has been widely used to predict potential areas for invasion and is an important tool for conservation biology. This study evaluates the potential geographical distribution and establishment risk of Lampropeltis getula (Linnaeus, 1766), Lampropeltis triangulum (Lacépède, 1789), Pantherophis guttatus (Linnaeus, 1766), Python bivittatus Kuhl, 1820 and Python regius (Shaw, 1802) through the Maximum Entropy modelling approach to estimate the potential distribution of the species within Brazil and qualitative evaluation of specific biological attributes. Our results suggest that the North and Midwest regions harbor major suitable areas. Furthermore, P. bivittatus and P. guttatus were suggested to have the highest invasive potential among the analyzed species. Potentially suitable areas for these species were predicted within areas which are highly relevant for Brazilian biodiversity, including several conservation units. Therefore, these areas require special attention and preventive measures should be adopted.

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“…After laying eggs, the C1 female weighed 54.5 kg and was approximately 4.9 m total length, and the C2 female weighed 29.5 kg and was approximately 4.3 m total length. We removed the eggs from the wild nests in June 2015 and incubated them in the laboratory at 28–34°C (temperatures similar to those observed in wild and captive nests; Hutchison et al, 1966 ; Snow et al, 2010 ; Wolf et al, 2016 ) until hatching in July 2015. Because the animals in this study were sourced from the wild, we do not know precisely when the eggs were laid, but the C1 eggs hatched more quickly after they were moved to incubation than the C2 eggs (16 versus 41 days later, respectively).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clutch may predict growth of hatchling Burmese pythons better than food availability or sex

et al. 2021

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Identifying which environmental and genetic factors affect growth pattern phenotypes can help biologists predict how organisms distribute finite energy resources in response to varying environmental conditions and physiological states. This information may be useful for monitoring and managing populations of cryptic, endangered, and invasive species. Consequently, we assessed the effects of food availability, clutch, and sex on the growth of invasive Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus Kuhl) from the Greater Everglades Ecosystem in Florida, USA. Though little is known from the wild, Burmese pythons have been physiological model organisms for decades, with most experimental research sourcing individuals from the pet trade. Here, we used 60 hatchlings collected as eggs from the nests of two wild pythons, assigned them to High or Low feeding treatments, and monitored growth and meal consumption for 12 weeks, a period when pythons are thought to grow very rapidly. None of the 30 hatchlings that were offered food prior to their fourth week post-hatching consumed it, presumably because they were relying on internal yolk stores. Although only two clutches were used in the experiment, we found that nearly all phenotypic variation was explained by clutch rather than feeding treatment or sex. Hatchlings from clutch 1 (C1) grew faster and were longer, heavier, in better body condition, ate more frequently, and were bolder than hatchlings from clutch 2 (C2), regardless of food availability. On average, C1 and C2 hatchling snout-vent length (SVL) and weight grew 0.15 cm d−1 and 0.10 cm d−1, and 0.20 g d−1 and 0.03 g d−1, respectively. Additional research may be warranted to determine whether these effects remain with larger clutch sample sizes and to identify the underlying mechanisms and fitness implications of this variation to help inform risk assessments and management. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.

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Thermoregulation by a Brooding Burmese Python (Python Molurus Bivittatus) in Florida

Cited by 24 publications

References 5 publications

Ecological correlates of invasion impact for Burmese pythons in Florida

Ecological correlates of invasion impact for Burmese pythons in Florida

Pet snakes illegally marketed in Brazil: Climatic viability and establishment risk

Clutch may predict growth of hatchling Burmese pythons better than food availability or sex

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