Body size, food habits, reproduction and growth in a population of black whip snakes (Demansia vestigiata) (Serpentes : Elapidae) in tropical Australia
S. Fearn A and D. F. Trembath B CA Department of Primary Industries and Water, Level 1, 167 Westbury Road, Prospect, Tas. 7250, Australia.
B Museum and Art Gallery Northern Territory, GPO Box 4646, Darwin, NT 0801, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: dane.trembath@nt.gov.au
Australian Journal of Zoology 57(1) 49-54 https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO08078
Submitted: 30 September 2008 Accepted: 22 April 2009 Published: 26 May 2009
Abstract
Two species of large black whip snakes (Demansia vestigiata and D. papuensis) are morphologically and ecologically similar and have broadly overlapping distributions. A long history of taxonomic difficulties has meant that most previous taxonomic and ecological studies comprise composite samples of both taxa. Here, we provide ecological data (body sizes, food habits, reproduction and inferred growth rates) collected from captured and road-killed specimens from a tropical population of D. vestigiata at Townsville, north-eastern Queensland, Australia. Males attain larger body sizes and have longer tails than females. All food items were ectotherms (lizards and frogs). Female reproductive cycles were strongly seasonal. Clutch size is significantly positively related to maternal body size. Egg dimensions, clutch mass and neonatal size are reported. Inferred growth rates indicate that sexual maturation is attained at ~21 months for females.
Acknowledgements
This work was conducted under permit numbers F1/000330/00/SAA, WITK02196804, #WISP02196704, and #WISP01039503 from the Queensland Environment Protection Agency, and James Cook University Ethics Approval Number A594–00. Thanks to C. Camacho, T. Dell, A. Fagerlid, D. Freier, G. Gilroy, R. Lloyd, D. Poppi, J. Rowley, J. Sambono, J. Schaffer, S. Sullivan, E. Undheim and D. Watt for providing or reporting snake specimens. Thanks also to Dr Lin Schwarzkopf and Dr Jason Elliott for contributions to an earlier draft of this work. Thanks to the Bureau of Meteorology for permission to download climatic data.
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