Emergence and dispersal of snakes after syntopic hibernation

By

Dyugmedzhiev, Angel
Slavchev, Miroslav
Naumov, Borislav

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2019-7-16

Original Publication

Subterranean Biology

Volume

32

Pages

149--157

Subjects

Colubridae , Competition , hibernaculum , microhabitat , Segregation

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/herpetozoa.32.e37347

 

Abstract

A communal hibernaculum situated in Southwestern Bulgaria and its adjacent area (4 km in diameter) was studied. Seven snake species used this hibernating den,Malpoloninsignitus,Dolichophiscaspius,Platycepsnajadum,Elaphequatuorlineata,Telescopusfallax,ViperaammodytesandXerotyphlopsvermicularis. The emergence of the snakes was related to the rise of daily temperatures.Malpoloninsignitusemerged from hibernation earlier in the spring than the other species, and most individuals were the first to leave the hibernaculum. There was a temporal segregation among the basking area in early spring, between the latter species andD.caspius, which were the two most abundant species. These two species also used the same area of the hibernaculum, in contrast toP.najadumandE.quatuorlineata, which used a different area. After spring dispersal,M.insignitusandD.caspiusused the same microhabitats during the rest of the active period. The earlier emergence ofM.insignitus(and earlier departure from the site) probably reduces the competition for basking sites. The early departure of the species may give advantage in the competition for optimal microhabitats withD.caspius.