Plains Garter Snake Research Articles

The use of solar cues as migratory orientation guides by the plains garter snake, Thamnophis radix

The ability of adult plains garter snakes, Thamnophis radix, to use solar cues as orientation guides during their fall return to a communal hibernaculum in southern Canada was examined. Snakes were displaced from dens and tested in circular arenas that restricted their view of terrestrial landmarks. The results were analyzed by circular statistics. Snakes oriented along the homeward axis, indicating type II or type III orientation. A bidirectional pattern of responses suggests that polarized light may be an orientation cue.

Effect of food competition on aggregation: Evidence for social recognition in the plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix).

Competition for food and aggregating behavior were examined in plains garter snakes (Thamnophis radix), in 11 groups of 1 noncompetitor and 2 competitors. Aggregation data were obtained in 48 daily scans. During food competition, success at obtaining food was asymmetrical across pairs. For aggregation, competitors were mostly associated with noncompetitors. After removal of noncompetitors, competitors were more likely to be solitary, but associations between competitors increased. After a 5-month separation, 5 of the original groups were reconstituted; aggregation patterns similar to the 1st experiment were observed. In a 3rd experiment, unfamiliar animals with and without competitive experience did not aggregate preferentially. Garter snakes discriminate on the basis of sex and species; in this study individual relationships (prior competition) affected aggregation, and the data suggest individual recognition both occurs and persists over time.

Effect of food competition on aggregation: Evidence for social recognition in the plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix).

Effect of food competition on aggregation: Evidence for social recognition in the plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix).

Responses by corn snakes (Elaphe guttata) to chemicals from heterospecific snakes

Young corn snakes,Elaphe guttata, were tested for responses to chemicals from heterospecific snakes. Corn snakes exhibited more tongue-flicks to swabs freshly rubbed against the skin of an ophiophagous kingsnake,Lampropeltis getulus, than to blank swabs. Responses toL. getulus and a nonophiophagous western plains garter snake,Thamnophis radix haydeni, did not differ significantly. Corn snakes exhibited more tongue-flicks to swabs treated with chloroform extracts of the shed skins ofL. getulus; an ophiophagous eastern coachwhip,Masticophis flagellum; and a nonophiophagous gray ratsnake,Elaphe obsoleta, than to blank swabs, but they did not discriminate between ophiophagous and nonophiophagous species in every case. Corn snakes, when offered shelters containing bedding from the home cages of a nonophiophagous water snake,Nerodia erythrogaster, an occasionally ophiophagous water moccasin,Agkistrodon pisdvorus; orL. getulus and untreated bedding, failed to reside under snake-scented shelters at a rate significantly different from that expected by chance. The responses of corn snakes are compared with those reported for other snakes presented with heterospecific snake chemicals.

Conditioned discrimination of airborne odorants by garter snakes (Thamnophis radix and T. sirtalis sirtalis).

For snakes, the nasal chemical senses are critical in intraspecific communication and prey recognition. Although it is known that garter snakes can respond differentially to airborne odorants, no previous study has demonstrated that snakes can learn a task with airborne odors as discriminative stimuli. In Experiment 1, 7 plains garter snakes (Thamnophis radix) were trained in a two-choice apparatus to move into a compartment containing lemon-scented chips for a food reward. All 7 snakes improved performance when the first 10 and last 10 trials of the 100 trials of conditioning were compared. Four of the snakes were subsequently trained to move away from the scented compartment into the unscented compartment. The 4 snakes rapidly learned this reversal. In Experiment 2, 7 common garter snakes (T. sirtalis sirtalis) were trained to traverse a two-choice maze with the presence or absence of amyl acetate odor as the conditioned stimulus. The snakes were pretested for odor versus nonodor preference and were trained to go to the initially nonpreferred stimulus. Of the 7 snakes, 5 achieved a predetermined criterion (two training sessions with cumulative correct responding above the .05 confidence level) within 85 trials.

Neonate plains garter snakes (Thamnophis radix) are attracted to conspecific skin extracts.

Several species of snakes aggregate in areas previously marked by conspecifics. However, species differences and sources of such chemical signals have received little attention. Methylene chloride-soluble substances from shed epidermis of adult plains garter snakes attracted neonate conspecifics, whereas similar extracts from a congener and a viperid did not. The functional significance of such conspecific aggregation may relate to location of hibernacula, foraging areas, osmoregulation, or predation avoidance.

Neonate plains garter snakes (Thamnophis radix) are attracted to conspecific skin extracts.

Neonate plains garter snakes (Thamnophis radix) are attracted to conspecific skin extracts.

Sex pheromone source location by garter snakes:

Male plains garter snakes,Thamnophis radix, tested in a 240-cm-long arena can detect directional information from a female pheromone trail only when the female is allowed to push against pegs while laying the trail. The female's normal locomotor activity apparently deposits pheromone on the anterolateral surfaces of vertical structures in her environment. The male sensorily assays the sides of these objects and from this information determines the female's direction of travel.

Investigatory behavior inthe plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix) and several additional species

Garter snakes (Thamnophis radix), hognose snakes (Heterodon platyrhinos), and rattlesnakes (Crotalus species) flick their tongues and crawl about in an open field containing no food or sexual (i.e., reproductive) odors. As Experiment I shows, the taxa differ reliably in both rate of tongue flicking and rate of locomotion. In Experiment II, garter snakes (Thamnophis radix) placed into an open field for 5 min showed more tongue flicking than snakes that were handled and placed directly back into their home cages, indicating that the first group was exploring the apparatus rather than responding only to handling. During Minutes 3 through 5 (Experiment III) in the open field, garter snakes emitted fewer tongue flicks than they did during the first minute, and after 20 min, the rate of tongue flicking was virtually zero. However, snakes were capable of responding to presentation of new objects and/or odors, indicating that the previous response decrement was not derived from effector fatigue but rather from some habituatory process. Experiment IV revealed that satiated snakes habituated more rapidly than hungry snakes during exploration of the open field. Hence, exploratory behavior in these snakes is at least partially under the control of the same factors which mediate food-related appetitive activities.

Temperature and light effects on the circadian rhythm and locomotory activity of the plains garter snake(Thamnophis radix hayendi)

Abstract The Locomotory activity of the Plains Garter snake was determined under L/D: 12/12 conditions at five constant temperatures and three light intensities during the light period. The snakes were diurnal at low temperatures with nocturnal activity increasing in various amounts at higher temperatures. The different light intensities had relatively small effects on the activity rhythm. Activity was recorded under four constant light conditions at five constant temperatures and the characteristics of the free‐running rhythm measured. A comparison of the characteristics of the free‐running rhythm to Aschoff's circadian rule indicates that this snake is an exception to this rule. Increase light intensity decreased total activity under all conditions. Under a L/D: 12/12 cycle the decrease in activity was more pronounced during the dark period than the light period. It is suggested that crepuscular or nocturnal activity shown by snakes at high temperatures may be an effect the temperature level has on the ...

Escape learning in the plains garter snake, Thamnophis radix

Five plains garter snakes (Thamnophis radix) received five daily trials on each of 10 successive days in a water maze in which escape was possible through a hole in the correct end box. The snakes showed a significant reduction in latency to escape after 2 or 3 days of training. However, the animals did not acquire a discrimination between the correct and incorrect paths since the probability of turning into the incorrect arm did not decrease over days. Reduction in escape latency could be interpreted as an arousal effect of incentive learning (i.e., snakes learned that escape was possible, and this energized behavior even though they did not learn the correct pathway). However, an alternative view is offered wherein snakes are presumed to have learned not only that escape was possible but also a systematic pattern of searching behavior (which was somewhat less efficient than could have been acquired if the position discrimination had been mastered).

Response decrement to repeated shadow stimuli in the garter snake, Thamnophis radix

Five plains garter snakes, Thamnophis radix, were exposed to 15 shadow stimuli followed by a nosetap and two more shadow stimuli on each of 5 successive days. Two measures of movement were taken immediately after each stimulus. Both measures indicate strong reactivity to the initial three or four shadow stimuli of each day and response decrement thereafter. The nosetap produced an unambiguous response in both measures, but, dishabituation was not evident on the subsequent two trials. The rate of habituation did not increase as a function of days.

The effect of the environmental factors in the locomotory activity of the plains garter snake ( Thamnophis radix radix)

The effect of the environmental factors in the locomotory activity of the plains garter snake ( Thamnophis radix radix)

New Records for the Eastern Plains Garter Snake in Ohio

New Records for the Eastern Plains Garter Snake in Ohio