Eastern garter snake

About: Eastern garter snake is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 16 publications have been published within this topic receiving 315 citations. The topic is also known as: Eastern Garter Snake.

Antipredator behaviors of newly metamorphosed green frogs (rana clamitans)and leopard frogs (r. pipiens) in encounters with eastern garter snakes (th amnophis s. sirtalis)

Abstract: -Three experiments were conducted on antipredator behaviors of newly metamorphosed green frogs (Rana clamitans) and northern leopard frogs (R. pipiens) in the presence of a common predator, the eastern garter snake (Thamnophis s. sirtalis). Both species engaged in distinctive antipredator behaviors, i.e., crouching and ceasing to move, in the presence of active snakes. These behaviors rendered frogs less likely to be captured. Green frogs were contacted by snakes more frequently than were leopard frogs, but capture rates of individuals that had been contacted were not different between species. Green frogs allowed snakes to approach more closely, and they jumped more frequently upon initial escape, than leopard frogs. Morphological measurements showed that there were no specific differences in snout-vent length, or in snout-vent length/leg length ratios, but that the average leap distance was greater for leopard frogs compared to green frogs. The results supported the hypothesis that leopard frogs use distance from the predator in terrestrial habitats more effectively than do green frogs to avoid predation, which agreed generally with some descriptive field results reported elsewhere.

Discordant patterns of population structure for two co‐distributed snake species across a fragmented Ontario landscape

Abstract: Aim The goal of our study was to investigate the effects of a fragmented landscape on the genetic population structure of two sympatric snake species that differ in habitat preference. The eastern garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis) is a common, habitat generalist, whereas the endangered eastern foxsnake (Mintonius [Elaphe] gloydi) is rarer, geographically restricted, and a marsh-specialist. We were most interested in comparing the genetic population structure of both species and identifying any natural and human-created features of the landscape that overlap with genetic disjunctions. Location Southwestern Ontario, Canada, surveying over half of the remaining range of the eastern foxsnake. Methods We utilized DNA microsatellite markers to examine genetic population structure of both species. The number of genetically distinct clusters for each species was determined using both Bayesian spatial assignment and spatial principal component analyses (sPCA). Genetic clusters were overlaid onto a habitat map to deduce possible physiognomic barriers to gene flow. Results Spatial assignment revealed three genetic clusters for garter snakes and five for foxsnakes. Each individual garter snake had a near equal probability of membership to two or more clusters with no cluster mapping onto a discrete geographic region, indicating that garter snakes comprise a single genetic population. The identified foxsnake clusters correspond to geographically circumscribed locations on the landscape, roughly coincident with isolated patches of suitable habitat. sPCAs revealed significant global allelic structure for foxsnakes, but not for garter snakes. No significant local structure was found for either species. Main Conclusions Our results imply that foxsnakes and garter snakes are differentially impacted by the same landscape or have dramatically different effective population sizes. Unsuitable intervening habitat such as agricultural tracts and roads between existing populations of foxsnakes appears to act as barriers to gene flow, while garter snake movement appears unrestricted by these features. Our findings have important implications for the management of eastern foxsnakes.

The Food and Feeding Behavior of the Garter Snake in New York State

Abstract: Thac food of the eastern garter snake, Tha,nophis s. sirtalis,` has be-n recorded by a numnber of investigators. Most accounts of the food of this species are extremnely general, little specific dietary information being included in the majority of reports. Surface (1906) has presented a good account of a large but unrecorded number of analyses. Fitch (1941) studied the food and reviews the literature of several western Thamn9phis. Pope (1947) states that approximately 100 stomachs of sirtalis containirg food have been studied and lists frogs, toads, salan-anaiders a-.d earthworms as the main itemis eaten, although he adds insects and other invertebrates, birds, mammals, snakes and carrion to tlhe dietary. A larsge part of the diet is composed of frogs, toads, fish, earthworms and'prc'hably insects (Conant, 1938). Lagler and Salyer (1945) examined 238 Michigan garter snakes co!

The bioenergetics of hibernation in the eastern garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis

Abstract: Body composition changes during hibernation were measured for garter snakes maintained in a laboratory hibernaculum and snakes from a natural hibernaculum in Wisconsin. Laboratory animals were maintained at 4 C, 24-h darkness (DD), for 165 days, the period of natural hibernation. Twelve randomly selected individuals were assayed at the beginning and end of natural hibernation and for every 6 wk of simulated hibernation. The final laboratory assay was performed concurrently with field emergence. Glycogen and proteins from liver and muscle tissues were utilized by both laboratory and field snakes during hibernation. Muscle catabolism of these substrates accounted for 76.5%-78.7% of the total winter energy budget. No change was observed in total body weight, liver weight, tissue lipid content, fat-body weights, organic matter, inorganics, or water content. The similarity between energy budgets for field (0.45 cal/ g/day) and laboratory (0.42 cal/g/day) hibernating snakes indicates that natural hibernation wa...