Seasonal and daily activity patterns of Liophis poecilogyrus (Serpentes: Colubridae) on the north coast of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Abstract

The seasonal and daily activity patterns of Liophis poecilogyrus and the variation in these patterns due to sexual differences and reproductive maturity were investigated based on 174 captures of snakes on the North Coast of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The seasonal activity pattern was unimodal with a higher frequency of active snakes during the hot months. The daily activity pattern was bimodal along most of the year (except during the colder months) with higher frequency of active snakes in early morning and late afternoon. During the colder months, most of the active snakes were found in the hottest periods of the day. There was no significant difference regarding activity of the total males and females, mature males and females, immature males and females and mature and immature snakes. The temperature seems to be the most important factor in determining the seasonal and daily activity patterns of this population.