Feeding ecology, reproduction and sexual dimorphism in the colubrid snake crotaphopeltis hotamboeia in southern africa

Journal of the Herpetological Association of Africa

Volumn 49, Issue 2, 2000, Pages 129-137

  Keogh, J Scott ^a   Branch, William R ^b   Shine, Richard ^c  

^a AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY   (Australia)

^b PORT ELIZABETH MUSEUM   (South Africa)

^c UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY   (Australia)

Author keywords

Allometry; Colubrid; Dietary habits; Ecology

Indexed keywords

EID: 84995908604     PISSN: 04416651     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/21564574.2000.9635439     Document Type: Article

References (50)

1. Alexander, G.J., 1987. “ The herpetofauna of Municipal Durban:A biogeographical review ”. University of Natal. Unpubl. M.Sc. thesis
2. Barbour, T., and Loveridge, A., 1928. A comparative study of the herpetological faunae of the Uluguru and Usambara Mountains, Tanganyika Territory with descriptions of new species. Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool., 50:87–265.
3. Bogert, C.M., 1940. Herpetological results of the Vernay Angola Expedition. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 57:1–107.
4. Branch, W.R., 1998. Field Guide to the Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa., rev. ed., Cape Town:Struik Ltd.
5. Broadley, D.G., 1966. “ The Herpetology of southeast Africa ”. University of Natal. Unpubl. Ph.D. thesis
6. Broadley, D.G., 1968. A new species of Crotaphopeltis (Serpentes:Colubridae) from Barotseland, Zambia. Fieldiana:Zool., 51:135–139.
7. Broadley, D.G., 1983. FitzSimons’ Snakes of Southern Africa, Cape Town:Delta Books.
8. Broadley, D.G., 1990. FitzSimons’ Snakes of Southern Africa, rev. ed. with addendum, Cape Town:Donker Books.
9. Broadley, D.G., and Cock, E.V., 1975. Snakes of Zimbabwe, Harare:Longman Zimbabwe.
10. De Waal, S.W.P., 1978. The Squamata (Reptilia) of the Orange Free State, South Africa. Mem. nas. Mus. Bloemfontein, 11:1–160.
11. Dyer, B., 1982. Reproductive information on some snakes from the Cape Province. J. Herpetol. Assoc. Afr., 27:16–17.
12. Fitch, H.S., 1970. Reproductive cycles in lizards and snakes. Misc. Publ. Mus. Nat. Hist., Univ. Kansas., 52:1–247.
13. Fitch, H.S., 1981. Sexual size differences in reptiles. Misc. Publ. Mus. Nat. Hist., Univ. Kansas, 70:1–72.
14. FitzSimons, V.F.M., 1939. An account of the reptiles and amphibians collected on an expedition to south-eastern Rhodesia during December 1937 and January 1938. Ann. Transvaal Mus., 20:17–46.
15. FitzSimons, V.F.M., 1962. Snakes of Southern Africa, Cape Town:Purnell & Sons.
16. Gibbons, J.W., and Lovich, J.E., 1990. Sexual dimorphism in turtles with emphasis on the slider turtle (Trachemys scripta). Herpetol. Monogr., 4:1–29.
17. Greene, H.W., 1997. Snakes - The Evolution of Mystery in Nature, Berkeley:Univ. California Press.
18. Haagner, G.V., and Branch, W.R., 1993. Notes on predation on some Cape dwarf chameleons. The Chameleon, 1:9–10.
19. Haagner, G.V., and Branch, W.R., 1995. Life History Note:Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia Redlipped Snake:Size. Afr. Herp. News, 23:44
20. Hoevers, L.G., and Johnson, P.M., 1982. Notes on a collection of snakes from the Middle Juba region, Somalia. Monit. Zool., Ital., 16:173–203.
21. Houston, D., and Shine, R., 1993. Sexual dimorphism and niche divergence:Feeding habits of the Arafura filesnake. J. Anim. Ecol., 62:737–748.
22. Jacobsen, N.H.G., 1982. “ Ecology of the reptiles and amphibians in the Burkea africana - Eragrostris pallens savannah of the Nylsvely Nature Reserve ”. University of Pretoria. Unpubl. M.Sc. thesis
23. Jacobsen, N.H.G., 1989. “ A herpetological survey of the Transvaal ”. University of Natal. Unpubl. Ph.D. thesis
24. Loveridge, A., 1933. Reports on the scientific results of an expedition to the southwestern highlands of Tanganyika. V:Herpetology. Notes on East African snakes collected 1918–1923. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 74:197–416.
25. Loveridge, A., 1936. Scientific results of an expedition to rain forest regions in Eastern Africa. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 79:209–337.
26. Loveridge, A., 1942. Scientific results of a fourth expedition to forested areas in East and Central Africa. Bull Mus. Comp. Zool., 91:237–373.
27. Loveridge, A., 1953. Zoological results of a fifth expedition to East Africa. III Reptiles from Nyasaland and Tete. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 110:143–322.
28. Loveridge, A., 1955. On a second collection of reptiles and amphibians taken in Tanganyika Territory by C.J.P. Ionides, Esq. J. E. Afr. Nat. Hist. Soc., 22:168–198.
29. Manacas, S., 1959. Ovidios de MoÁambique. Mems. Jta. Invest. Ultramar. Ser. 2., 8:135–160.
30. Mertens, R., 1938. Amphibien und Reptilien aus Angola, gesammelt von W. Schack. Senckenbergiana, 20:425–443.
31. Mushinsky, H.R., 1987. “ Foraging Ecology ”. In Snakes:Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Edited by:Seigel, R. A., Ford, N. B., and Novak, S. S., 302–334. New York:Macmillan.
32. Pakenham, R.H.W., 1983. The reptiles and amphibians of Zanzibar and Pemba isalnds (with a note on the freshwater fishes). J. E. Afr. Nat. Hist. Soc. Nat. Mus., 177:1–40.
33. Pienaar, U. De V., Haacke, W.D., and Jacobsen, N.H.G., 1983. The Reptiles of the Kruger National Park., rev. 3rd ed., Pretoria:National Parks Board.
34. Pitman, C.R., 1974. A Guide to the Snakes of Uganda, Codicote:Wheldon and Wesley.
35. Pough, F.H., 1980. The advantages of ectothermy for tetrapods. Am. Nat., 115:92–112.
36. Queral-Regil, A., and King, R.B., 1998. Evidence for phenotypic plasticity in snake body size and relative head dimensions in response to amount and size of prey. Copeia,:423–429. 1998
37. Rasmussen, J.B., 1985. A new species of Crotaphopeltis from East Africa, with remarks on the identity of Dipsas hippocrepis Reinhardt, 1843 (Serpentes:Boiginae). Steenstrupia, 11:113–129.
38. Rasmussen, J.B., 1993. The current taxonomic status of Tornier's cat-snake (Crotaphopeltis tornieri). Amphibia-Reptilia, 14:395–409.
39. Rasmussen, J.B., 1997. On two little known African water snakes (Crotaphopeltis degeni and C. barotseensis). Amphibia-Reptilia, 18:191–206.
40. Roman, B., 1974. Deux espÈces du genre Crotaphopeltis (Colubrides, Ophistoglyphes) dans le territorie de Haute-Volta:Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia (Laurenti), et Crotaphopeltis acarina n. sp. Notes. Documents voltaiques, 8:1–13.
41. Schmidt, K.P., 1923. Contributions to the herpetology of the Belgian Congo based on the collection of the American Museum Congo Expedition 1909–1915, Part n Snakes. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 49:1–146.
42. Schmidt, W.R., 1998. Natural History Note:Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia:Herald Snake:Diet. Afr. Herp. News, 29:38
43. Shine, R., 1980. Ecology of the Australian death adder, Acanthophis antarcticus (Elapidae):evidence for convergence with the Viperidae. Herpetologica, 36:281–289.
44. Shine, R., 1985. “ Reproductive biology of Australian reptiles:a search for general patterns ”. In Biology of Australasian Frogs and Reptiles, Edited by:Grigg, G. C., Shine, R., and Ehmann, H., 297–303. Sydney:Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales.
45. Shine, R., 1991. Intersexual dietary divergence and the evolution of sexual dimorphism in snakes. Am. Nat., 138:103–122.
46. Shine, R., 1994. Sexual size dimorphism in snakes revisited. Copeia,:326–346. 1994
47. Shine, R., Branch, W.R., Harlow, P.S., and Webb, J.K., 1998. Reproductive biology and food habits of horned adders, Bitis caudal is (Viperidae) from southern Africa. Copeia,:391–401. 1998
48. Stucki-Stirn, M. C., 1979. Snake Report 721. A comparative study of the Herpetological fauna of the former West Cameroon/Africa, Switzerland:Herpeto-Verlag.
49. Sweeney, R.C.H., 1971. Snakes of Nyasaland., rev. ed., Amsterdam:Asher & Co.
50. Vitt, L.J., 1987. “ Communities ”. In Snakes:Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Edited by:Seigel, R.A., Collins, J.T., and Novak, S.S., 335–365. New York:Macmillan.