The Neonate Ecology of the Northern Pine Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus) in the New Jersey Pine Barrens

Kevin P. W. Smith

doi:10.17918/etd-7067

Due to the cryptic and fossorial nature of northern pine snakes (Pituophis melanoleucus) there is a lack of data on their early life behavior and dispersal. As a New Jersey State Threatened species, it is vital to elucidate the ecological role and needs of all life stages of this species. An understanding of first season life history traits from hatching to ingress is particularly difficult to monitor. Because of this, I used a combination of chemosensory assays and radio telemetry to investigate factors influencing neonate dispersal and habitat use. This multifaceted approach allowed me to compare field observations with controlled experimental data. To investigate their spatial ecology, I surgically implanted 18 P. melanoleucus neonates with small weight-to-mass transmitters and radio-tracked them after leaving their nests in September until hibernaculum ingress in November. I monitored neonate activity daily and recorded environmental and behavioral data. With these data, I performed a compositional analysis to describe the habitat utilization of this life stage. I performed two different chemosensory behavioral tests with the neonates, one to investigate intraspecific communication, and one to examine interspecies cue response. For intraspecies communication, neonates (n=15) were selected to run a y-maze test with the options of following a scent trail from a sibling and from a non-sibling conspecific neonate, as well as another group of neonates (n=12) with the options of a nestmate scent trail and no scent trail. To quantify interspecies cue responses, I modified an existing tongue flicking/attack assessment to include behaviors more commonly seen in this species and monitored neonate and adult responses to potential prey and non-prey chemical cues. All neonates utilized habitat for foraging and thermoregulation within maximum distances of 34m to 450m of their nest. First year hibernacula were in close proximity to nest sites, and consistent distances between both years of study, with the majority within 100 meters. While this is typically described as an upland species, the neonates readily used wetlands at similar rates when encountered. They also readily used disturbed and shrub dominated uplands. Neonates did not prefer sibling scent trails, however they had a tendency to follow neonate scent trails rather than no scent trail. There was a difference in tongue flicking behavior between individuals who followed siblings and those that did not, indicating the potential for in recognition. Also, both pine snake neonates and adults displayed high behavioral interest scores in response to rodent scent above all other offered scents. This behavioral response combined with a regurgitated sample passively retrieved from a neonate suggests that neonate pine snakes are consuming adult rodents within two weeks of leaving the nest. Insight into the spatial and ecological needs of this life stage will help us better denote protected areas and potential nest sites for this threatened species. In addition, this is the first study to implant snake neonates soon after hatching, release them within 24 hours, and successfully track them through their first months. These multifaceted methods will be useful through adapting to a wide variety of herpetofauna.

The Neonate Ecology of the Northern Pine Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus) in the New Jersey Pine Barrens

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The Neonate Ecology of the Northern Pine Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus) in the New Jersey Pine Barrens

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