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Preliminary Morphometrics, Growth, and Natural History Observations Of RESEARCH ARTICLE The Herpetological Bulletin 141, 2017: 1-6 Preliminary morphometrics, growth, and natural history observations of the short-headed garter snake, Thamnophis brachystoma at two urban sites in Erie County, Pennsylvania, USA BRIAN S. GRAY* & MARK LETHABY Natural History Museum at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center 301 Peninsula Drive, Erie, Pennsylvania 16505, USA *Corresponding author Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT - We used mark-recapture techniques to study the short-headed garter snake, Thamnophis brachystoma at two urban sites (Shannon Road and McClelland Park) in Erie County, Pennsylvania, USA. Mean snout-vent length (SVL) and weight was greater in females than males regardless of age class; whereas relative to total length, tail length was consistently greater in males than in females. Sex ratios did not differ significantly from 1:1 regardless of age-class. At Shannon Road, adults significantly outnumbered juveniles 3.3 to 1. While at McClelland Park, juveniles (N = 63) were nearly twice as numerous as adults (N = 31). Data regarding estimated growth are also reported. The results of the present study conform to previously published data from populations in Pennsylvania and a population near Olean, New York. INTRODUCTION he short-headed garter snake, Thamnophis brachystoma (Fig. 1) is relatively small with a recorded maximum Tlength of 578 mm (Lethaby, 2004). It is found primarily in early successional habitats in the Allegheny High Plateau of north-western Pennsylvania and south-western New York, USA (Price, 1978). Introduced populations have been reported in New York (Bothner, 1976), Ohio (Novotny, 1990; Novotny et al., 2011), and Pennsylvania (Price, 1978; McCoy, 1982). In Erie County, Pennsylvania extralimital populations occur in glaciated regions, as far west as 1.5 km of the Ohio-Pennsylvania border (Gray, 2005). The first report of T. brachystoma in Erie County was based on 2 specimens collected from near Corry (Richmond, 1952). Since then, numerous other T. brachystoma populations have been discovered in Erie County. Urban populations within Figure 1. Adult female Short-headed garter snake, Thamnophis the city of Erie have been attributed to human introduction brachystoma from the Shannon Road site in Erie, Pennsylvania, (Conant, 1975; Price, 1978; McCoy, 1982). Sometime USA between 1952 and 1970, Neil Richmond inadvertently released a number of T. brachystoma near Erie (Engelder, previously published data on population size and density, 1988). In 1970, D.R. Hower collected a specimen (Carnegie biomass, movement and site fidelity for T. brachystoma at Museum of Natural History, CM 53678) 1.6 km south of the same two sites (Lethaby & Gray, 2015, 2016). Wesleyville. Although T. brachystoma (Cope, 1892) was first STUDY SITES described about 125 years ago there remain significant gaps in our understanding of the natural history and ecology of this There were two study sites, both within the city of Erie, species especially in urban environments. In Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania. They were 1.4 km apart and separated by it is of conservation concern due to its uncertain status, open green spaces, tree covered areas and some housing limited distribution, and evidence of population declines (Fig. 2). (Bothner, 1986; Jellen, 2010). For these reasons we chose to study the natural history of T. brachystoma at two urban Shannon Road sites in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA that are likely the same This site (Fig. 3), the property of The Behrend College population from which Hower collected his specimen. The of Pennsylvania State University, is approximately 5.8 present paper summarises the morphometrics and growth ha, of which ca. 3.6 ha of old field habitat was sampled. of T. brachystoma from these sites and places these in the Grasses, black-berry (Rubus sp.), wild strawberry (Fragaria context of other unpublished sources regarding the ecology virginiana), and goldenrod (Solidago sp.) were common, as and natural history of this species. This study complements were the shrubs red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) and Herpetological Bulletin 141 (2017) 1 B. Gray & M. Lethaby Figure 2. Map of the study sites in south-eastern Erie, Pennsylvania, USA. A) McClelland Park. B) Shannon Road. Map courtesy of Google Earth. northern arrow-wood (Viburnum recognitum). Tree species occurring mainly along the perimeter of the sampled habitat included paper birch (Betula papyrifera), red maple (Acer rubrum), black-locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), northern red oak (Quercus rubra), basswood (Tilia americana), eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides), and willow (Salix sp.). Potential earthworm prey at Shannon Road included Allolobophora chlorotica, Aporrectodea sp., Lumbricus rubellus, and L. terrestris. In addition to T. brachystoma two other species of snake were present, Storeria dekayi and Storeria occipitomaculata. McClelland Park This site (Fig. 4), the property of the City of Erie, is approximately 22 ha, of which ca. 4.8 ha of old field habitat was sampled. It is within 400 m of Hower’s collection site. The dominant herbaceous plants in the sampled area were mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), grasses and sedges, along with goldenrod (Solidago sp.). Tree species occurring mainly along the perimeter of the sampled habitat included Norway maple (A. platanoides), northern red oak (Q. Figure 3. Cover board in Short-headed garter snake, rubra), eastern cottonwood (P. deltoides), and black-locust T. brachystoma habitat at Shannon Road site in Erie, (R. pseudoacacia). McDannel Run bisects the eastern Pennsylvania, USA, 14 July 2011 section of the property, and flows in a northerly direction, eventually emptying into Lake Erie. Potential earthworm cover objects (primarily flat rocks) and debris to sample prey at McClelland Park included Aporrectodea sp., L. T. brachystoma at the two Erie County sites. Dimensions rubellus, and L. terrestris. In addition to T. brachystoma, of pre-existing cover objects and debris were not obtained. a single specimen of one other snake species (Thamnophis Plywood coverboards were employed at 16 sampling plots sirtalis) was observed. at Shannon Road and 7 sampling plots at McClelland Park. Individuals were captured by hand, sexed, and their METHODS snout-vent length (SVL) and tail length (tl) measured to the nearest millimeter by gently straightening each snake During April – August 2011 we used a combination of along a metric ruler. The snakes were weighed with Pesola plywood coverboards (0.61 x 0.61 m) and pre-existing spring balances, accurate to 0.1 g (snakes ≤ 10 g), 0.25 g 2 Herpetological Bulletin 141 (2017) Observations of the short-headed garter snake in Pennsylvania, USA Only snakes that were recaptured at least 30 days after their initial capture were used. Furthermore, only instances for which the increase in SVL between initial and latest capture was greater than 4% were considered. This was done to exclude individuals that had not grown. Descriptive statistics used to summarise morphometric data included the mean ± 95% confidence interval, range, and sample size. Student’s t-tests (two tailed, α = 0.05) were used to compare SVL, tail length as a proportion of total length (tl/TL), and weight between sexes and within and between sites. Snakes with incomplete tails were not used for some comparisons, such as relative tail length. Prior to performing a t-test, an F-test was used to determine whether variances were homogenous. In the event variances were heterogeneous, a t-test assuming unequal variances was employed (Runyon et al., 1996) and is indicated with tʹ. Figure 4. Short-headed garter snake, T. brachystoma habitat at Chi-square tests were used to determine if sex ratios and McClelland Park site in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA, 14 July 2011 immature to adult ratios were significantly different from a 1:1 ratio (α = 0.05). Yates’ correction for continuity was used in the calculation of Chi-square tests (Fowler et al., (snakes 10 – 30 g), and 1.0 g (snakes larger than 30 g). Sex 1998). Data from both sites were pooled to increase sample of mature T. brachystoma was determined by examining the sizes. With the exception of Chi-square tests, which were base of the tail. In males, the hemipenes cause the sides of calculated by hand, all statistical analyses were performed the base of the tail to bulge, whereas in females, the base with Microsoft Excel 2010. of the tail is more tapered (Rossman et al., 1996). In male Our data were compared with unpublished data collected neonates and young ca. 150 mm or less, the hemipenes during a study of T. brachystoma in the vicinity of Olean, were manually everted by grasping the snake at mid-tail New York, USA (Pisani & Bothner, 1970). The data sheets, and rolling the thumb on the ventral surface towards the photomicrographs, and prepared slides of the current study cloaca. Snakes were considered mature if at least 220 mm are to be deposited in the Natural History Museum at the SVL in males, and at least 250 mm SVL in females (Pisani Tom Ridge Environmental Center. & Bothner, 1970; Rossman et al., 1996). In addition to the aforementioned data, we also noted number of dorsal scale RESULTS rows at midbody, number of pre-oculars and post-oculars, as well as the number of supralabials and infralabials. Any Unless otherwise stated the results presented below are from scale anomalies, such as cleft or fused scales, and whether the analysis of data from the Shannon Road and McClelland or not the tail was complete was also recorded as an aid to Park sites combined. individual recognition. Snakes were individually marked with a portable cautery unit (Winne et al., 2006). Morphometrics of immature T. brachystoma. There were Daily growth rate was estimated by obtaining the significant differences in mean SVL and weight between difference in SVL between the initial and latest capture, then immature males and immature females, with females being dividing this by the number of days between capture dates. longer and heavier (Table 1).
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