Pr 4ACOUNT IESIBI . ED 156 f5 SE 024 353' AUTHOR . ie Gibbons, Whit TITLE Snakes of thSivanAnh River Plant with Information About Snakebi e Prevention and Treatment. INSTITUTION Savannah River tional Envisonsental Research Park (DOE), Aiken, S.C. SPORT NO . PUB DATE Sep 77 . NOTE 31p. Ph tographs may not reproduce Nell AVAILABLE FROM Savannah -River Ecology Laboratory, Drawer E, Aiken, South Carolina 29801 (no price quoted) EBBS TRICE "HF-10.83 BC-62:06 Plus Postage.' DESCRIPTORS Anisal Behavior; Ecology; *Environmental Education; *First Aid; iatural Resources; *Prevention; *Resourc Materials; *Science Education; Eoology IDENTIFIERS 'Snakes; 9buth Carolina ABSTRACT Thisbooklet is intended tc provide inforsati on the snakes of South Carolina, toy point out the necessary ate to avoid a snakebite, and to indicate-the current medical treaent for poisonous snakebite. -It includes a cbeoklipt of South Caroina reptiles and a taxonomic key' for the, identification of s kes in the Savannah River Plant. Three families cf snakes from the egion are described in detail with nuderous examples and sole pb csraphs 6 include4. Colson navies and 'scientific manes are used. actors involved in poisonous snakebite present a person's cances of being bitteR by a poisonous snake and what procedures to cllov if this Should happen. Selected references are provided atthe end of the booklet. (MA) 4 ****************************************************".******************* Reproductions supplied by EDES are the best that can be made A. from the original document. * . wi********* ***********************1*********************************** (VS OOP WENT OF HEALTH, ED ATION WELFARE MINA*. INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION DOCUMENT HAS BEENREPRO - .,CEO EXACTLY ASRECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATiONORiGIN- ATINC IT POINTS OF VIEW OROPINIONS STATED DO/NOT flECESSARILYREPRE- INSTITUTE OF SENT OFFiCiAL NATIONAL EOUCATION POSITION OR POLICY HAKES- OF T #EISAVANNAH RIVER FiLANT WITH t INFORMATION ABOUT SNAkEBITE 0116/EN-110NAND TREATMENT by Whit Gibbons Savannah River Ecology Laboritory , 'Aiken,South Carolina U _ria41:A 7 F 1 S f r NOTICE This-report was prepared as an account of, rk sponsored by the United States Government. Neither the United Stes nor the United States De- partmern of Energy, nor any of their cotter ctors, subcontractors: or their employees, makes anyr- warranty. express o implied or assumes any legal liabilitypr responsibility for the accuracy, ompleteness or usefulness of any information, apparatus. product or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. SRO-NERP-1 SNAKES J OF THE SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT , WITH INFORMATION ABOUT SNAKEBITE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT by Whit Gibbons Savannah River Ecology Labo.ratory Aiken, South Carolina 1. A PUBLICATION OF ERDA'S SAVANNAH RIVER NATIONALENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH PA . It O a 'COPIES AY BE OBTAINED FROM SAVAN RIVER ECOLOGY .SEPTEMBER 1977 LABORATORY 4 4 INTRODUCTION ... 7 A The present-day emphasis on ecology has broughtles varieties. Furthermore, the consequces Of being injected to the realtutionIkat tach plant and animal species has by snake venom are generally unknn by, laymen and, ,some role in man's total envifoilinent. No matter how in- unfortunately, are still poorly andMood by scientists and 'ficant, each species has at least-a potential effect on medical doctors. Therefore, we haa dilemma. In our r existence. Snakes not only have an indirect ecological state, we have an imRortant, frequecly encountered as- eect, but tkey nay also have a most direct impact on sortment of animals, tome of whichay he highly dan- man. The effect may be physiological as a result of poi-( gerous. Yet we know far less than we should about their sonous snakebite, or it may be psycholpgical as a conse- ecology or their potentie4poisonous efferots. quence of the almost universal fear and misunderstanding' . The put-pose of this booklet isto point out what we that people have of snakes. The severity of both the phys- know and what we do not know (but should know) about iolOgical and psychological potential can be diminished the snakes of South Carolina with emphasis on those found 41* with some knowledgeof the ecology and behavior of the on the Savannah River Plant (SRP) (FIG.1).a..Ofully, snakes found in one's own geographic region. Snakes are sufficient information is given to alleyiate unnece ary one of the most poorly understood of the major animal fears concerning the many specierof norepoisotto s snakes. i groups. This booklet should provide the reader with a familiarity, Although 38 species of snakes occur in South Caro- understanding, and even an appreciation of significant lina, the general ecology of even the most common is, for facets of South Carolina, wildlife. A second intent is to the most part, unknown. This lack of,knowledge applies point out the necessary steps for avoidance of poisonous to the 6 poisonous species as well as to the 32 harmless snakebite and to indicate the current medical recommen- dations for emergency treatment should it ever be needed. 4t . 182 leo FIG 1.Location of the Savannah River Plant (SRP) within the state of South Carolina. With the exception'of the extreme northwestern portion, South Carolina is divisible into two major jihysiographic regions which are geologically and herpetologically distinct. One orthe known as the Piedmont Plateau, includesroughli the northwestern half of the The soutastern half of Sduth Carolina and all of the SRP fall within the Atlantic Coastal Plain provinceThe transition zone between the two geologic provinces is known as the' Fall Line. The Fall. Line serves, as a faunal boundary.between numerous species and subspecies of reptiles and amphibians. For this reasoketany of the SRP snakes are represented by southern species and subspecies rather than the northern ones characteristically found in the,piemont and mountain regions. 3 - 5 OP, CHECKLIST OF SOUTH CAROLINA RECOGNITION OF SOUTH CAROLINA REPTILES -SNAKtS Snakes, lizards, turtlei, and crocodilians are the Identification is a problem with any group of plants major living representatives of the class Reptilia, and are or animals. However, with snakes the consequences of distinct frbrn the other vertebrates -- fishes, amphibians, being wrong can sometimes be extremely serious. Of the birds, and mammals. Table I shows all reptile species six venomous species in South Carolina, five occur on the which are known to occur in South Carolina. Snakes con-, and most hay/ look-alikes among the harmless rank. stitute more,than half of the reptile species in the state. Among the nonpoisonous forms, spme are distinctive Common names often vary locally', consequently, the use enough in color and pattern to make recogrAtiOn easy. But of scientific names provides a stability to the nomenclature only through experience, not books, can ode learn to make and also indicates, in some instances, the degree of related- spot identifications ofmost Species. ness. For exampl , the canebrake and timber rattlesnake In order to present a comprehensive picture of the are only regionvariants (ocsubspecies) of the same snake species in South Carolina, a system of classification species (Crotalus orridus) whereas the eastern diamond- is necessary. This can be effectively accomplished by fol- back (Crotalus nteus) is an altogether different lowing the accepted scientific scheme of family, genus, and species. Further, thrtpygmy rattlesnake belings to a species, as presented in Table I. A particular snake can be separate genus (Sistrurus) and therefore is less closely re- identified by means of the key in Table 2. Species present lated t4 other rattlesnake, (erotalus) than the copperhead on the SRP are indicated byasterisk., The.intent of (Agkistrodon contortrix) and cottonmouth (Agkistrodon pages 10-19 is to note the commonness or rarity, the piscivorus) are to each other. 1 general habitat, and the geographic range of each species Scientific names occasionally change through ad- found in South Carolina. vancementin,our undtistanding of evolutionary relation- Classifying a species in regard to its abundance or shipiand as a result of taxonomic interpretations. There- rarity Wan age-old problem that is never resolved with total fore, as opinion enters into nomenclatural decisiods, satisfaction. For present purposes, each species will be consistency of names can become a problem. To confuse designated on the basis of the scheme indicated below. the issue as little as possible, the common and scientific Subjectivity will creep into the category assignment of names (including subspecies desOations) used in this many0,the species. Thus, a species derlioteil as Puncommon" presentation will be those used try Conant.' This publica- May indeed seem to warrant "abundant" status to someone tion is probably the most widely used and up-to-date else merely because of a different exposure Through personal publication on reptiles and amphibians of the eastern field experiences. United States currently available. The following terminology will be used in assignment to abundance categories,- Abundant. Species isseen so frequently or can be found with such assurance that the absence of specimens in appropriate seasons and locations would be cause for question. Common. Species is no surprise,when encountered, V but the absence of Specimens in certain locations or for long periods of time is considered inconsequential. Uncommon. Species is noteworthy when found and is usually. represinted by single specimens.