Microgeographic variation in body condition of three Mexican garter snakes in central Mexico.
PeerJ
; 7: e6601, 2019.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-30886780
BACKGROUND: Geographic variation in body size and condition can reveal differential local adaptation to resource availability or climatic factors. Body size and condition are related to fitness in garter snakes (Thamnophis), thus good body condition may increase survival, fecundity in females, and mating success in males. Phylogenetically related species in sympatry are predicted to exhibit similar body condition when they experience similar environmental conditions. We focused on interspecific and geographical variation in body size and condition in three sympatric Mexican garter snakes from the highlands of Central Mexico. METHODS: We assessed SVL, mass, and body condition (obtained from Major axis linear regression of ln-transformed body mass on ln-transformed SVL) in adults and juveniles of both sexes of Thamnophis eques, T. melanogaster, and T. scalaris sampled at different locations and ranges from 3-11 years over a 20-year period. RESULTS: We provide a heterogeneous pattern of sexual and ontogenic reproductive status variations of body size and condition among local populations. Each garter snake species shows locations with good and poor body condition; juvenile snakes show similar body condition between populations, adults show varying body condition between populations, and adults also show sex differences in body condition. We discuss variations in body condition as possibly related to the snakes' life cycle differences.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
País/Região como assunto:
Mexico
Idioma:
En
Revista:
PeerJ
Ano de publicação:
2019
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de publicação:
Estados Unidos