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    Oxyrhopus Petola Mating

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    Daniel Simões
    This document describes the first observed mating of the Calico Snake (Oxyrhopus petola) in Brazil. During a herpetological survey in southeastern Brazil, researchers observed a male and female Calico Snake mating. The male engaged in courtship behaviors with the female for approximately 10 minutes before mating occurred. Mating continued for at least 240 minutes while the snakes were being observed. This observation provides some of the first data on the reproductive behavior and mating of the Calico Snake species. However, details of mating times vary between studies in different geographic locations, suggesting reproductive behaviors may differ across the wide range of this snake species.

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    Oxyrhopus Petola Mating

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    Daniel Simões
    54 views2 pages
    This document describes the first observed mating of the Calico Snake (Oxyrhopus petola) in Brazil. During a herpetological survey in southeastern Brazil, researchers observed a male and female Calico Snake mating. The male engaged in courtship behaviors with the female for approximately 10 minutes before mating occurred. Mating continued for at least 240 minutes while the snakes were being observed. This observation provides some of the first data on the reproductive behavior and mating of the Calico Snake species. However, details of mating times vary between studies in different geographic locations, suggesting reproductive behaviors may differ across the wide range of this snake species.

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    This document describes the first observed mating of the Calico Snake (Oxyrhopus petola) in Brazil. During a herpetological survey in southeastern Brazil, researchers observed a male and female Calico Snake mating. The male engaged in courtship behaviors with the female for approximately 10 minutes before mating occurred. Mating continued for at least 240 minutes while the snakes were being observed. This observation provides some of the first data on the reproductive behavior and mating of the Calico Snake species. However, details of mating times vary between studies in different geographic locations, suggesting reproductive behaviors may differ across the wide range of this snake species.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    54 views2 pages

    Oxyrhopus Petola Mating

    Uploaded by

    Daniel Simões
    This document describes the first observed mating of the Calico Snake (Oxyrhopus petola) in Brazil. During a herpetological survey in southeastern Brazil, researchers observed a male and female Calico Snake mating. The male engaged in courtship behaviors with the female for approximately 10 minutes before mating occurred. Mating continued for at least 240 minutes while the snakes were being observed. This observation provides some of the first data on the reproductive behavior and mating of the Calico Snake species. However, details of mating times vary between studies in different geographic locations, suggesting reproductive behaviors may differ across the wide range of this snake species.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    of 2

    Herpetology Notes, volume 3: 139-140 (2010) (published online on 13 May 2010)

    Observation of mating in the Calico Snake


    Oxyrhopus petola Linnaeus, 1758
    Rogério Loesch Zacariotti1*; Rodrigo del Rio do Valle2,3

    Abstract. Oxyrhopus petola is a common colubrid snake, widely distributed throughout South America and in parts of Central
    America. However, information about its reproductive biology is scarce. The present communication is the first observation of
    mating in Oxyrhopus petola.

    Keywords. Squamata, Pseudoboini, reproduction.

    Information about ovarian or testicular cycles is Oxyrhopus petola is a common colubrid snake, widely
    available for several Neotropical species of snakes distributed throughout South America and in parts of
    (Marques et al., 2009). However, descriptions about Central America (Savage and Villa, 1986; Markezich,
    courtship, mating or combative behaviours are still 2002; Lynch, 2009, Palmuti, Cassimiro and Bertoluci,
    scarce and most information available comes from 2009). However, MacCulloch et al. (2009) suggest
    extratropical species (Sasa and Curtis, 2006). Herein we that the wide distribution of O. petola could represent
    describe the first observation of a courtship and mating more than one species. In Brazil, it is found in different
    in the Calico snake Oxyrhopus petola. habitats like Gallery forests and Brazilian Savannah
    (Vaz-Silva et al., 2007), Atlantic forests (Santana et al.,
    2008) and Amazon forests (Bernarde and Machado,
    1 Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto Butantan.
    2000). Information about its reproductive biology is
    Avenida Dr. Vital Brasil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, Brazil;
    e-mail: [email protected]
    scarce in the scientific literature. Lynch (2009) found in
    2 Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Departa- Colombia, a clutch of eight near-term eggs in October,
    mento de Cirurgia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av Prof. Dr. 2006 (early spring) and describes O. petola as having
    Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, 05508-270, Sao Paulo, Brasil. a markedly seasonal reproductive pattern. Test et al.
    3 Wildlife Management Consultoria Veterinária Ltda. (1966) presented information about a captive female
    *corresponding author

    Figure 1. Calico snakes (Oxyrhopus petola) mating.


    140 Rogério Loesch Zacariotti & Rodrigo del Rio do Valle

    Figure 2. Detail of Calico snakes (Oxyrhopus petola) mating.

    that laid seven eggs in June, 1960 (late fall). There is References
    no information available in the scientific literature about
    Bernarde, P. S., Machado, R. A. (2000): Oxyrhopus petola digita-
    the mating behavior of O. petola. lis (NCN). Prey. Herpetol. Rev. 31(4): 247-248.
    On 31st October 2008 (mid-spring), during a Lynch, J.D. (2009): Snakes of the genus Oxyrhopus (Colubridae:
    herpetofaunal survey in disturbed forest fragments Squamata) in Colombia: taxonomy and geographic variation.
    along Rio Sapucaí Mirim (20°49´E, 47°86´S), Pap. Avulsos Zoo. 49(25): 319-337.
    southeastern Brazil, two adults of Oxyrhopus petola MacCulloch, R.D., Philippe, A.L., Kok, J.R., Ernst, R., Kalaman-
    (male 760 mm SVL, 243 mm tail length, mass 86g; deen, M. (2009): The genus Oxyrhopus (Serpentes: Dipsadi-
    female 1050mm SVL, 277 mm tail length, mass 105g) dae: Xenodontinae) in Guyana: morphology, distributions and
    were captured, around 23:20, in the same locality (a dirt comments on taxonomy. Pap. Avulsos Zoo. 49(36): 487‑495.
    Markezich, A.L. (2002): New Distribution Records of Reptiles
    road between two forest fragments), with 5 minutes
    from Western Venezuela. Herpetol. Rev. 33(1): 69–74.
    between captures. The snakes were placed together in
    Marques, O.A.V., Almeida-Santos, S.M., Rodrigues, M., Cam-
    a plastic container for measurement and marking (PIT argo, R. (2009): Mating and Reproductive Cycle in the Neo-
    tags #5709204, male and #5483245, female). As soon as tropical Colubrid Snake Chironius bicarinatus. South Amer. J.
    the male was in contact with female, it started to display Herp. 4 (1): 76-80
    courtship behaviours with head and chin movements Palmuti, C.F.S., Cassimiro, J.; Bertoluci, J. (2009): Food habits
    over the female’s body. After approximately 10 minutes of snakes from the RPPN Feliciano Miguel Abdala, an Atlantic
    of courtship, the male penetrated the female and mating Forest fragment of southeastern Brazil. Biota Neotrop. 9(1):
    continued for at least 240 minutes (figures 1 and 2). Both 265-269.
    individuals were released in capture locality following Santana, G.G., Vieira, W.L.S., Pereira-Filho, G.A., Delfim, F.R.,
    their observation. Lima, Y.C.C., Vieira, K.S. (2008): Herpetofauna em um frag-
    mento de Floresta Atlântica no Estado da Paraíba, Região Nor-
    We describe a mating event during mid-spring in
    deste do Brasil. Biotemas 21(1): 75-84.
    Brazil, but Lynch (2009) found near-term eggs in early
    Sasa, M., Curtis, S. (2006): Field observations of mating behavi-
    spring in Colombia and Test et al. (1966) observed egg or in the neck-banded snake Scaphiodontophis annulatus (Ser-
    laying in captivity in late fall. This apparent asynchrony pentes: Colubridae). Rev. Biol. Trop 54(2): p.647-650.
    between events of mating and egg laying found Savage, J. M., Villa, J. (1986): An Introduction to the Herpetofau-
    between ourselves and other authors could be a result na of Costa Rica. Soc. Stud. Amphib. Rept., Contrib. Herpetol.
    of geographic differences along the wide distribution of 3: 207.
    O. petola. Test, F. H., Sexton, O. J., Heatwole, H. (1966): Reptiles of Ran-
    cho Grande and vicinity, Estado Aragua, Venezuela. Miscel.
    Acknowledgements. �������������������������������������
    We thank Dr. Selma M. Almeida-Santos Pub. Mus. Zoo. U. Michigan 128: 1-63.
    for comments on early version of this manuscript. We also thank Vaz-Silva, W., Guedes, A. G., Azevedo-Silva, P.L., Gontijo, F.F.,
    CELAN – Central Elétrica Anhanguera S. A. and WLM – Wildlife Barbosa, R.S., Aloísio, G.R., Oliveira, F.C.G. (2007): Her-
    Management Consultoria Veterinária Ltda. for financial support. petofauna, Espora Hydroelectric Power Plant, state of Goiás,
    Collecting permit was issued by Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Brazil. Check List 3(4): 338-345.
    Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis (IBAMA/ permit
    127/2008-SUPES/SP).
    Accepted by Zoltán
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    ������ Managing
    ��������� Editor:
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