Abstract
Abstract: We studied growth in snout–vent length (SVL) and body mass of Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnakes (Sistrurus miliarius barbouri) in Volusia County, Florida, with the use of mark–recapture techniques. Between February 1992 and December 2000, we PIT-tagged (Passive Integrated Transponder) 665 individuals of approximately 1 yr of age or greater that were subsequently recaptured at least once. Because snakes can be definitively aged at 1 yr, this resulted in a large sample of snakes of known age that were followed for up to 7 yr. Seventy-five of these individuals PIT tagged at 1 yr were identified from photographs of neonates born in captivity, allowing us to relate adult growth to neonate traits. Our data suggest that Pygmy Rattlesnakes in central Florida exhibit highly variable patterns of growth that are related to a mild climate that allows feeding and growth throughout the year, and to a fluctuating prey base that results in irregular growth patterns often unlike those predicted by typical growth equatio...
Published Version
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