Environmental and ecological factors influencing dive behaviour in the freshwater snake Acrochordus arafurae: a field-based telemetric study
Kirstin L. Pratt A , Hamish A. Campbell A , Matthew E. Watts B C and Craig E. Franklin A DA School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.
B The Ecology Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.
C Centre for Applied Environmental Decision Analysis, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: c.franklin@uq.edu.au
Marine and Freshwater Research 61(5) 560-567 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF09194
Submitted: 4 August 2009 Accepted: 27 October 2009 Published: 28 May 2010
Abstract
Acrochordus arafurae is a fully aquatic, freshwater snake distributed throughout tropical Australia. To better understand the ecological factors influencing their behavioural repertoire, we remotely monitored field body temperature and diving in snakes free-ranging within their natural habitat. The body temperatures of A. arafurae exhibited a diel profile similar to the surface water temperature, and reflected the high proportion of time that snakes remained <1 m from the surface. The average dive depth was 0.62 m and 95% of dives had an average depth of 1 m or less. Snakes occasionally ventured into deeper water (>6 m), and there was a positive correlation between dive depth and duration. Average dive duration was 6.6 min and 84% of dives were terminated within 10 min, but all snakes performed dives >50 min during the 14-day observation period. We hypothesise that the dive behaviour was strongly influenced by predation pressure. The snakes partake in short dives within the aerobic dive limit to reduce the amount of time they need to spend at the surface on each breathing bout, reducing the risk of predation by birds. Predation is a strong selective force that might alter the time allocation during dive cycles.
Additional keywords: acoustic telemetry, aerobic dive limit, body temperature, dive depth, predation.
Acknowledgements
This work was conducted under permits issued by The University of Queensland Animal Ethics Committee (SIB/298/08) and the Environmental Protection Agency (WISP05144408). A. Boulton, G. Hays and an anonymous referee provided helpful comments that improved this manuscript. We thank Australia Zoo for their in-kind support and field assistance, in particular, Kelsey Mostyn. We also thank IMOS and AATAMS who supplied tracking equipment and VEMCO for subsidising tracking equipment through the Student Special scheme.
Allouche, S. , and Gaudin, P. (2001). Effects of avian predation threat, water flow and cover on growth and habitat use by chub, Leuciscus cephalus, in an experimental stream. Oikos 94, 481–492.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bradshaw, C. J. A. , McMahon, C. R. , and Hays, G. C. (2007). Behavioural inference of diving metabolic rate in free-ranging leatherback turtles. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology 80, 209–219.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Brischoux, F. , Bonnet, X. , Cook, T. R. , and Shine, R. (2008). Allometry of diving capacities: ectothermy vs. endothermy. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 21, 324–329.
| CAS | PubMed |
Campbell, H. A. , Sullivan, S. , Read, M. A. , Gordos, M. A. , and Franklin, C. E. (2010). Ecological and physiological determinants of dive duration in the freshwater crocodile. Functional Ecology 24, 103–111.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Carbone, C. , and Houston, A. I. (1996). The optimal allocation of time over the dive cycle: An approach based on aerobic and anaerobic respiration. Animal Behaviour 51, 1247–1255.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Clark, N. J. , Gordos, M. A. , and Franklin, C. E. (2008). Diving behaviour, aquatic respiration and blood respiratory properties: a comparison of hatchling and juvenile Australian turtles. Journal of Zoology 275, 399–406.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Doody, J. S. , Roe, J. , Mayes, P. , and Ishiyama, L. (2009). Telemetry tagging methods for some freshwater reptiles. Marine and Freshwater Research 60, 293–298.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Feder, M. E. , and Moran, C. M. (1985). Effect of water depth on cost of aerial respiration and its alternatives in tadpoles of Rana pipiens. Canadian Journal of Zoology 63, 643–648.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Franklin, C. E. , Read, M. A. , Kraft, P. G. , Liebsch, N. , Irwin, S. R. , and Campbell, H. A. (2009). Remote monitoring of crocodilians: implantation, attachment and release methods for transmitters and data-loggers. Marine and Freshwater Research 60, 284–292.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gordos, M. A. , Franklin, C. E. , and Limpus, C. J. (2003). Seasonal changes in the diving performance of the bimodally respiring freshwater turtle Rheodytes leukops in a natural setting. Canadian Journal of Zoology 81, 617–625.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gordos, M. A. , Franklin, C. E. , and Limpus, C. J. (2004). Effect of water depth and water velocity upon the surfacing frequency of the bimodally respiring freshwater turtle, Rheodytes leukops. The Journal of Experimental Biology 207, 3099–3107.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Graham, J. B. , Gee, J. H. , Motta, J. , and Rubinoff, I. (1987). Subsurface buoyancy regulation by the sea snake Pelamis platurus. Physiological Zoology 60, 251–261.
Halsey, L. , Woakes, A. , and Butler, P. (2003). Testing optimal foraging models for air-breathing divers. Animal Behaviour 65, 641–653.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hays, G. C. , Hochscheid, S. , Broderick, A. C. , Godley, B. J. , and Metcalfe, J. D. (2000). Diving behaviour of green turtles: dive depth, dive duration and activity levels. Marine Ecology Progress Series 208, 297–298.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hays, G. C. , Metcalfe, J. D. , and Walne, A. W. (2004). The implications of lung-regulated buoyancy control for dive depth and duration. Ecology 85, 1137–1145.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Heatwole, H. (1975). Voluntary submergence times of marine snakes. Marine Biology 32, 205–213.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Heithaus, M. R. , and Frid, A. (2003). Optimal diving under the risk of predation. Journal of Theoretical Biology 223, 79–92.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Heithaus, M. R. , Frid, A. , Wirsing, A. J. , Bejder, L. , and Dill, L. M. (2005). Biology of sea turtles under risk from tiger sharks at a foraging ground. Marine Ecology Progress Series 288, 285–294.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hochscheid, S. , Bentivegna, F. , and Hays, G. C. (2005). First records of dive durations for a hibernating sea turtle. Biology Letters 1, 82–86.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Houghton, J. D. R. , Doyle, T. K. , Davenport, J. , Wilson, R. P. , and Hays, G. C. (2008). The role of infrequent and extraordinary deep dives in leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea). The Journal of Experimental Biology 211, 2566–2575.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Houston, A. I. , and Carbone, C. (1992). The optimal allocation of time during the diving cycle. Behavioral Ecology 3, 255–265.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kesavaraju, B. , Damal, K. , and Juliano, S. A. (2007). Threat-sensitive behavioral responses to concentrations of water-borne cues from predation. Ethology 113, 199–206.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Kooyman, G. L. , Castellini, M. A. , Davis, R. W. , and Maue, R. A. (1983). Aerobic diving limits of immature Weddell seals. Journal of Comparative Physiology 153, 171–174.
Kramer, D. L. , Manley, D. , and Bourgeois, R. (1983). The effect of respiratory mode and oxygen concentration on the risk of aerial predation in fishes. Canadian Journal of Zoology 61, 653–665.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lehtiniemi, M. (2005). Swim or hide: predator cues cause species specific reactions in young fish larvae. Journal of Fish Biology 66, 1285–1299.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lillywhite, H. B. , and Smits, A. W. (1985). Diving adaptations in the aquatic file snake, Acrochordus granulatus. The Physiologist 28, 283.
Mathie, N. J. , and Franklin, C. E. (2006). The influence of body size on the diving behaviour and physiology of the bimodally respiring turtle, Elseya albagula. Journal of Comparative Physiology 176B, 739–747.
Mori, Y. (1998). Optimal choice of foraging depth in divers. Journal of Zoology 245, 279–283.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Nagy, K. A. (2005). Field metabolic rate and body size. Journal of Experimental Biology 208, 1621–1625.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Padial, A. A. , Thomaz, S. M. , and Agostinho, A. A. (2009). Effects of structural heterogeneity provided by floating macrophyte Eichhornia azurea on the predation efficiency and habitat use of the small Neotropical fish Moekhausia sanctaefilomenae. Hydrobiologia 624, 161–170.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pratt, K. L. , and Franklin, C. E. (2010). Temperature independence of aquatic oxygen uptake in an air-breathing ectotherm and the implications for dive duration. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part A 156, 42–45.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Priest, T. E. , and Franklin, C. E. (2002). Effect of water temperature and oxygen levels on the diving behavior of two freshwater turtles: Rheodytes leukops and Emydura macquarii. Journal of Herpetology 36, 555–561.
Rehage, J. S. , Barnett, B. K. , and Sih, A. (2005). Behavioral responses to a novel predator and competitor of invasive mosquitofish and their non-invasive relatives (Gambusia sp.). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 57, 256–266.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rubinoff, I. , Graham, J. B. , and Motta, J. (1986). Diving of the sea snake Pelamis platurus in the Gulf of Panama 1. Dive depth and duration. Marine Biology 91, 181–191.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Seymour, R. S. , Dobson, G. P. , and Baldwin, J. (1981). Respiratory and cardiovascular physiology of the aquatic snake, Acrochordus arafurae. Journal of Comparative Physiology 144, 215–227.
| CAS |
Shannon, P. , and Kramer, D. L. (1988). Water depth alters respiratory behavior of Xenopus laevis. The Journal of Experimental Biology 137, 597–602.
| CAS | PubMed |
Shine, R. (1986). Ecology of a low-energy specialist – food habits and reproductive biology of the Arafura filesnake (Acrochordidae). Copeia 1986, 424–437.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Shine, R. , and Lambeck, R. (1985). A radiotelemetric study of movements, thermoregulation and habitat utilization of Arafura filesnakes (Serpentes, Acrochordidae). Herpetologica 41, 351–361.
Storey, E. M. , Kayes, S. M. , De Vries, I. , and Franklin, C. E. (2008). Effect of water depth, velocity and temperature on the surfacing frequency of the bimodally respiring turtle Elseya albagula. Functional Ecology 22, 840–846.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wilson, R. P. , and Quintana, F. (2004). Surface pauses in relation to dive duration in imperial cormorants; how much time for a breather? The Journal of Experimental Biology 207, 1789–1796.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
