ANALYSIS OF NEONATAL GROWTH IN CAPTIVE DUSKY RATTLESNAKES (Crotalus triseriatus) FROM TWO POPULATIONS IN CENTRAL MEXICO

Abstract

Body size has important effects on snake ecology, and in turn, body size is dependent on the rate at which individuals grow. In this study, we analyzed first year captive growth of individuals from two populations of the Mexican dusky rattlesnake (Crotalus triseriatus). We used linear models to estimate individual growth rates as well as to compare growth rates between populations and sexes. Birth body size was greater in males than in females, and this pattern remained throughout the experiment. Average growth rate for all individuals was 7.66 mm/month. While the average absolute change was 79.8 mm. No statistical differences were detected in growth rates between populations or sexes. This could indicate that the variation in this attribute may be greater within populations than between populations.