In:
Revue d'Écologie (La Terre et La Vie), PERSEE Program, Vol. 51, No. 4 ( 1996), p. 297-311
Abstract:
Reproductive status, litter size, and correlated behaviours have been studied in a few long-term monitored females of the sympatric snakes Elaphe quatuorlineata (n = 6) and E. longissima (n = 5). The study was carried out in a hilly territory of Mediterranean central Italy (Tolfa Mountains, Latium). This study revealed that both species were similar in terms of frequency of reproduction (most females were able to bear in most years), absolute clutch size (9.42 ±1.86 eggs in E. longissima and 10.32 ± 1.25 eggs in E. quatuorlineata), clutch size relative to maternal size (0.08 ± 0.01 in E. longissima and 0.07 ± 0.01 in E. quatuorlineata), timing of egg laying (from 19th July to 2nd August) and timing of egg hatching (late August). Moreover, there was evidence of low mortality costs associated with post-oviposition in either species. E. quatuorlineata females were consistent among years in the litter size they produced, while the same was not true for E. longissima females. No study year was particularly positive (or negative) for the production by all the examined females of larger (smaller) litters than expected from their body sizes.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0249-7395
DOI:
10.3406/revec.1996.2212
Language:
French
Publisher:
PERSEE Program
Publication Date:
1996
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2922565-6
SSG:
12
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