The Herpetological Journal
The Herpetological Journal is the Society's prestigious quarterly scientific journal. Articles are listed in Biological Abstracts, Current Awareness in Biological Sciences,Current Contents, Science Citation Index, and Zoological Record.
ISSN 0268-0130
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07. Feeding habits, ontogenetic patterns and developmental changes in the adrenal gland of Xenodon merremii
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.33256/36.2.141145
pp. 141-145
Authors: Gabriel Saturno, Vitor O.F. Assunção & Vanda L. Ferreira
Abstract: Understanding snake diets allows for the assessment of fundamental aspects of their ecological and physiological adaptations. Xenodon merremii consumes toxic prey that are underexplored by most snakes, which raises questions about the basis of this behaviour and its implications during development. In this context, this study investigated the feeding habits of this species from an ontogenetic perspective, exploring potential associations with morphological changes, especially concerning the adrenal glands, by integrating literature data and morphometric analyses. Juveniles presented a more varied diet, including toxic prey, while adults consumed mainly the toxic prey. A proportional increase in adrenal gland volume was observed during growth, suggesting a possible association with the progressive consumption of toxic prey. These findings suggest that changes in the adrenal glands are associated with dietary specialisation, and that feeding behaviour may be a determining factor in the physiological adaptations observed during X. merremii development.
Keywords: diet, anurophagous snakes, specialised diet, morphology, ontogeny
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Please note that as from Volume 31 Number 1 (January 2021) on, the Herpetological Journal will be available as an online publication only - the last print edition will be Volume 30 Number 4.
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