Thirst and drinking in North American watersnakes (Nerodia spp.)

Abstract

We quantified drinking behavior in three species of North American watersnakes: Nerodia clarkii, which is a marine or brackish water amphibious species, and Nerodiafasciata and Nerodiataxispilota, both freshwater amphibious species. All three species have relatively small and similar thresholds of dehydration (TH, approximately −4% loss of body mass) that elicit thirst and drinking of fresh water. These species have higher thirst sensitivity than several species of hydrophiine and laticaudine sea snakes, which are characterized by much lower TH (greater dehydration, −9% to <−20%). Nerodia clarkii, which is often found in coastal oceanic water, refused to drink seawater, but drank fresh water when dehydrated. In separate trials involving dehydration of N. clarkii and N. fasciata that were concurrently fed fish at regular intervals, snakes eventually refused to eat at TH of approximately −12% of original body mass, but resumed eating after they were allowed to drink fresh water and rehydrate. The drinking behaviors of Nerodia corroborate previous data on the importance of fresh water for drinking, and they complement growing evidence that dietary water does not itself mitigate dehydration in snakes. These new data increase understanding of water relationships in the context of evolutionary transitions from land to sea, and they emphasize the importance of fresh water resources in the conservation of coastal and marine species of reptiles.

Behavioural hydroregulation protects against acute effects of drought in a dry-skinned ectotherm

“…Muscle loss and posttreatment water intake were greater in individuals exposed to dry air and both traits were correlated with physiological dehydration, here assessed by final osmolality values. Therefore, dry air conditions increased muscle catabolism, probably in order to release the bound water that makes up a significant portion of skeletal muscles (Brusch et al, 2018) and resulted in increased thirst levels (Edwards et al, 2021;Lillywhite et al, 2019). Dehydrationinduced muscle catabolism can be beneficial to support water needs and reduce the immediate survival risks associated with hyperosmolality in vertebrates (Brusch et al, 2018;Gerson & Guglielmo, 2011;McCue et al, 2017).…”

“…Such nonlinear, threshold effects should trigger more or less rapid behavioural adjustment depending on the shape of hydric performance response curve (Edwards et al, 2021;Lillywhite et al, 2019). Future studies should therefore examine the strength and shape of the relationships between dehydration and performance capacities for which we currently lack data (Rozen-Rechels et al, 2019).…”