Circadian pattern of Bothrops moojeni in captivity (Serpentes: Viperidae)

Stuginski DR (1, 2), Sant’Anna SS (2), Fernandes W (2), aAbe AS (3)

(1) Department of Physiology, Bioscience Institute, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, São Paulo State, Brazil; (2) Laboratory of Herpetology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, São Paulo State, Brazil; (3) Department of Zoology, São Paulo State University (UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista), Rio Claro, São Paulo State, Brazil.

Abstract: Members of the subfamily Crotalinae are considered to be essentially nocturnal and most of the data about these snakes have been collected from the field. Information on how nutritional status affects the movement rate and activity patterns is a key point to elucidating the ecophysiology of snakes. In this study, we distributed 28 lancehead Bothrops moojeni into three groups under distinct feeding regimens after a month of fasting. Groups were divided as follows: ingestion of meals weighing (A) 40%, (B) 20%, or (C) 10% of the snake body mass. Groups were monitored for five days before and after food intake and the activity periods and movement rates were recorded. Our results show that B. moojeni is prevalently nocturnal, and the activity peak occurs in the first three hours of the scotophase. After feeding, a significant decrease in activity levels in groups A and B was detected. The current results corroborate previous field data that describe B. moojeni as a nocturnal species with low movement rates. The relationship between motion and the amount of food consumed by the snake may be associated with its hunting strategy.

Key words: Bothrops moojeni, snake activity, post-prandial, circadian rhythms, captivity.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors are thankful to Ana Helena Pagotto for her assistance.

COPYRIGHT

© CEVAP 2012

SUBMISSION STATUS

Received: July 8, 2011.

Accepted: August 8, 2011.

Abstract published online: September 12, 2011.

Full paper published online: February 28, 2012.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

FINANCIAL SOURCE

The State of São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) provided the financial grants.

ETHICS COMMITTEE APPROVAL

The present study was approved by the Ethics Committee on Animal Use of the Butantan Institute (protocol n. 334/06). In addition, the experiments followed the protocols of the Brazilian Society of Laboratory Animal Science (SBCAL/COBEA).

CORRESPONDENCE TO

Daniel Rodrigues Stuginski, Instituto Butantan, Rua Alvarenga 1275, ap. 24A, São Paulo, SP, 05509-002, Brasil. Phone: +55 11 2507 5744. Email: dstuginski@yahoo.com.br.