The British Herpetological Society

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

2021 Impact Factor from Clarivate for the Herpetological Journal is 1.194, an increase of 0.332 from 2020.


pdf 06. Diet of the false smooth snake, Macroprotodon cucullatus (Serpentes, Colubridae) in the Western Mediterranean area

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pp.98-105 

Authors: Juan M. Pleguezuelos, Santiago Honrubia And Silvana Castillo

Abstract: Based on the analysis of the digestive tracts of 158 specimens, the diet has been established for Macroprotodon cucullatus, one of the European colubrid species with poorly-known biology. The specimens belong to three subspecies, M. c. ibericus (Iberian Peninsula), M. c. brevis (Morocco) and M. c. mauritanicus (Balearic Islands). The species feeds exclusively on vertebrates, mainly reptiles, and mostly long-bodied prey which are burrowers or live under rocks (Blanus, Chalcides). Some aspects of its morphology and feeding habits, in addition to our general field observations, suggest that it is not nocturnal, but rather lives under rocks. Jn comparison with other Mediterranean colubrids, this species feeds with very low frequency, taking relatively long prey with great biomass. In the specimens from the Balearic Islands the body length and feeding habits appear to have changed in a brief period, now being the largest of the distribution area of the species and basing its diet on small mammals. In the Iberian Peninsula and in northwestern Africa, there is no appreciable ontogenetic or sexual variation in the diet, since the different ages and sexes feed principally on amppisbaenians.

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IMPORTANT NOTE - JUNE 2020

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.   

Aligning with this change, it is now no longer possible to purchase a subscription that includes a print copy of the HJ.  All members who have existing HJ print subscriptions that remain active as at end June 2020 will receive the full four 2020 print editions.  New subscribers or renewals after this time will only have option to subscribe to the online only subscription package.  Subscription pricing has been amended to reflect the content changes.

 

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