A Galápagos Ectothermic Terrestrial Snake Gambles a Potential Chilly Bath for a Protein-Rich Dish of Fish.
Merlen, Godfrey.
A Galápagos Ectothermic Terrestrial Snake Gambles a Potential Chilly Bath for a Protein-Rich Dish of Fish.
pagos Islands are well known for their adaptive ra diation of plants and animals (Grant 1986; Itow 1994). It seems logical that organisms should take advantage
of new opportunities when they colonize new habitats. On the wild black shores of Fernandina Island, located on the extreme west of the Galápagos Archipelago, the coast is still taking shape under the action of recent eruptions (1995, 2005, and 2009; Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program) from this extremely active shield volcano. This is particularly true of the west coast, which is bathed by cold productive upwellings from the Equatorial Cromwell
Under Current. Two locations, Capes Douglas and Hammond, have not been flooded by fresh lava in the recent past and are havens for life, including fur seals, flightless cormorants, and marine iguanas.
Of the four species of xenodontine colubrid snakes reported from the central and southern Galápagos Islands, Fernandina has two species: Antillophis slevini, (Fernandina, Isabela, and Pinzon) and Pseudalsophis biserialis occidentalis (Fernandina, Isabela, and Tortuga) (Thomas 1997). The latter species is common
on the western shorelines, but not exclusive to them. Here we report on a previously unpublished account of Pseudalsophis biserialis occidentalis feeding on an
unsuspected prey, marine fish.
Englihs
Terrestrial Snake. Serpiente terrestre. Fish. Pescado.
597.967
A Galápagos Ectothermic Terrestrial Snake Gambles a Potential Chilly Bath for a Protein-Rich Dish of Fish.
pagos Islands are well known for their adaptive ra diation of plants and animals (Grant 1986; Itow 1994). It seems logical that organisms should take advantage
of new opportunities when they colonize new habitats. On the wild black shores of Fernandina Island, located on the extreme west of the Galápagos Archipelago, the coast is still taking shape under the action of recent eruptions (1995, 2005, and 2009; Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program) from this extremely active shield volcano. This is particularly true of the west coast, which is bathed by cold productive upwellings from the Equatorial Cromwell
Under Current. Two locations, Capes Douglas and Hammond, have not been flooded by fresh lava in the recent past and are havens for life, including fur seals, flightless cormorants, and marine iguanas.
Of the four species of xenodontine colubrid snakes reported from the central and southern Galápagos Islands, Fernandina has two species: Antillophis slevini, (Fernandina, Isabela, and Pinzon) and Pseudalsophis biserialis occidentalis (Fernandina, Isabela, and Tortuga) (Thomas 1997). The latter species is common
on the western shorelines, but not exclusive to them. Here we report on a previously unpublished account of Pseudalsophis biserialis occidentalis feeding on an
unsuspected prey, marine fish.
Englihs
Terrestrial Snake. Serpiente terrestre. Fish. Pescado.
597.967