Abstract
Garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) submerge in a water-filled hibernaculum in Wisconsin where they remain for up to 5.5 mo during winter. Since ice cover may inhibit air breathing for long periods, this study examined the role of nonpulmonary ventilation in the overwintering biology of these snakes. During submerged hibernation, mean standard rates of oxygen consumption and cardiac activity were depressed by 54.8% and 77.0%, and O₂ pulse (O₂ consumed per heart stroke) increased 1.8-fold, relative to laboratory hibernation in air under otherwise similar conditions (5° C, total darkness). Owing to metabolic, cardiovascular, and behavioral adjustments to submergence in cold water, snakes were able to remain in oxygen balance during winter; lactate analyses indicated that, in normoxic water ($P_{O_{2}} \simeq 110 mmHg$), cutaneous diffusion of oxygen was adequate for aerobic metabolism. Calculated energy consumption in the average (52.6g) snake during a typical, 165-d winter in the Wisconsin den was 55.2% le...
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
