Breeding and Reproductive Phenology of Eastern Diamond-Backed Rattlesnakes (Crotalus adamanteus) in South Carolina

Abstract

Abstract Phenology is an important dimension of vertebrate reproductive strategies. Characterizing a species' reproductive phenology is a fundamental step in directing studies of influences on reproduction within and among populations throughout its range. Eastern Diamond-Backed Rattlesnakes (Crotalus adamanteus; EDBs) are endemic predators of the imperiled longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystem of the southeastern United States, and the species currently is under review for listing under the Endangered Species Act. Conservation and management of this imperiled species will greatly benefit from research on its basic biology, and particularly from information that will assist management for adult survival and population viability. Here, we present long-term data on EDB breeding and reproductive phenology from several populations in the South Carolina Coastal Plain. We summarized the phenology of EDB breeding and reproduction using observations of free-ranging, radiotelemetered rattlesnakes in South Caro...