Caryospora masticophis n. sp. (Apicomplexa) from Masticophis flagellum and Coluber constrictor (Serpentes) in Arkansas, U.S.A.

1994 ◽  
Vol 113 (3) ◽  
pp. 395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve J. Upton ◽  
Chris T. McAllister ◽  
Stanley E. Trauth
Copeia ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 2008 (4) ◽  
pp. 897-908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian J. Halstead ◽  
Henry R. Mushinsky ◽  
Earl D. McCoy

1971 ◽  
Vol 5 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 193
Author(s):  
Joseph T. Collins ◽  
Corson Jay Hirschfeld

2018 ◽  
Vol 132 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana M. Eye ◽  
Jared R. Maida ◽  
Owain M. McKibbin ◽  
Karl W. Larsen ◽  
Christine A. Bishop

We report on snake mortalities along exclusion fencing in southern British Columbia, showing Western Yellow-bellied Racer (Coluber constrictor mormon) deaths were disproportionately higher than our encounter rates with the species within the snake community. This suggests racers were susceptible to fence mortality more so than Northern Pacific Rattlesnakes (Crotalus o. oreganus) or Great Basin Gophersnakes (Pituouphis catenifer deserticola). Datalogger recordings revealed temperatures under cover boards were well above the tolerable temperatures of the three snake species, although the boards appeared to temper ambient heat more efficiently than natural vegetation. We caution that the effects of fencing and cover boards may vary across ecosystems and snake species.


1987 ◽  
Vol 253 (2) ◽  
pp. R222-R227 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. N. Stinner

The cardiovascular adjustments associated with elevated metabolic demand caused by rising body temperature were investigated in Coluber constrictor. From 16 to 35 degrees C, O2 consumption increased roughly ninefold. Systemic blood flow, determined by the Fick method, increased approximately 4.5-fold and arteriovenous O2 difference increased approximately 2-fold. Heart rate steadily increased over the temperature range examined. At the cooler temperatures stroke volume also increased but, above approximately 25 degrees C, stroke volume declined with rising temperature. The changes in stroke volume may result from the direct effect of temperature on myocardial contractility. The thermal dependence of blood convection requirement in C. constrictor is similar to changes in air convection requirement determined in a previous study. Consequently the minute ventilation-to-perfusion ratio appears to be independent of temperature, at least from 20 to 35 degrees C. Systemic arterial blood pressure increases with rising body temperature due to the rise in cardiac output, whereas vascular resistance declines. Blood pressure in snakes disturbed by the investigator is roughly two times higher than in resting animals at all temperatures studied. This marked change in blood pressure suggests an "alarm reaction" mediated by the sympathetic nervous system.


1993 ◽  
Vol 264 (1) ◽  
pp. R79-R84 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. N. Stinner ◽  
D. L. Ely

The pressor response to normal daily behaviors and acute stress was studied in black racer snakes (Coluber constrictor) at 30 degrees C. In addition, hematological changes during the stress response were assessed. Mean nighttime systemic arterial blood pressure (SABP) in undisturbed snakes was lower than daytime pressure (26 +/- 3 vs. 32 +/- 9 mmHg, P < 0.001). When snakes were fed mice, SABP increased 3.5- to 4-fold and heart rate increased approximately 3-fold above resting values within approximately 30 s (peak SABP, 99 +/- 18 mmHg; peak heart rate, 99 +/- 12 beats/min). Killing and ingesting the mice required 6-15 min, during which time mean SABP and heart rate were 84 +/- 16 mmHg and 92 +/- 12 beats/min. Pulmonary blood pressure also increased but remained 40-50 mmHg lower than SABP. During stress elicited by tapping the snakes for 5-8 min, heart rate was 94 +/- 6 beats/min but SABP averaged only 44 +/- 11 mmHg. Plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine increased 51- and 26-fold. Plasma glucose increased 58%, hematocrit increased 19%, and plasma volume decreased 19%. It is concluded that blood pressure is markedly affected by behavior and that the sympathetic nervous system appears to play a key role.


2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 558-562
Author(s):  
Chris T. McAllister ◽  
John A. Hnida ◽  
Henry W. Robison

AbstractBetween April 2012 and October 2017, 18 southern black racers,Coluber constrictor priapus, were collected from nine counties of Arkansas (n= 13) and McCurtain County, Oklahoma (n= 5) and their faeces examined for coccidian parasites. One of 18 (6%)C. c. priapusharboured an eimerian that we describe here as new. Oocysts ofEimeria dunnisp. nov. were subspheroidal with a lightly pitted bi-layered wall measuring L × W 24.0 × 21.1 and L/W ratio of 1.2. A micropyle was absent but an oocyst residuum and polar granule were present. Sporocysts were ovoidal and measured 11.9 × 8.1 with L/W of 1.5. A Stieda body was present but substieda and parastieda bodies were absent. The sporocyst residuum was composed of medium-sized granules aligned along perimeter of sporocyst or in a dispersed mass. This represents the first valid eimerian reported from the southern black racer.


Ecology ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 75 (6) ◽  
pp. 1600-1614 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen M. Secor ◽  
Kenneth A. Nagy

1996 ◽  
Vol 199 (4) ◽  
pp. 815-823
Author(s):  
J Stinner ◽  
M Grguric ◽  
S Beaty

There is increasing evidence that many amphibian and reptilian species use relatively slow ion-exchange mechanisms in addition to ventilation to adjust pH as body temperature changes. Large changes in blood bicarbonate concentration with changes in temperature have previously been reported for the snake Coluber constrictor. The purpose of the present study was to determine the ventilatory and pH adjustments associated with the increase in CO2 stores when the snakes are cooled. Body temperature was lowered from 30 to 10 &deg;C within 4 h, at which time measurements of inspired minute ventilation (V.air), O2 consumption (VO2) and CO2 production (V.CO2) were started and continued for 56 h. The decrease in temperature produced a transient fall in the respiratory exchange ratio (V.CO2/VO2) to 0.2-0.3 and a steady-state value of 0.65&plusmn;0.14 (mean &plusmn; s.d., N=7) was not achieved until about 35 h. There were concomitant transient reductions in V.air and V.air/V.O2. However, V.air/V.CO2 initially increased, with a corresponding reduction in arterial PCO2 (PaCO2) and increase in arterial pH. By 35 h, V.air/V.CO2 had decreased and PaCO2 had increased to steady-state levels, but pH decreased very little because of a gradual increase in bicarbonate concentration. We conclude that the drop in temperature imposed a metabolic acidosis for approximately 35 h because of the time required to increase bicarbonate concentration, and that the acidosis was compensated for by an elevated V.air/V.CO2. Steady-state breathing and acid-base status were not achieved until the relatively slow increase in CO2 stores had been completed.


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