REPRODUCTIVE PHYSIOLOGY OF THE BROAD BANDED WATERSNAKE, NERO英文资料.pdfVIP

Herpetological Conservation and Biology 6(3):410−421. Submitted: 19 March 2011; Accepted: 21 September 2011; Published: 31 December 2011. REPRODUCTIVE PHYSIOLOGY OF THE BROAD BANDED WATERSNAKE, NERODIA FASCIATA CONFLUENS, IN SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA 1 2 3 4 O. TOM LORENZ , BRIAN D. HORNE , NOAH J. ANDERSON , AND ANN O. CHEEK 1 Pontchartrain Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of New Orleans, 2045 Lakeshore Drive, New Orleans, Louisiana 70148, USA, e-mail: otlorenz3@ 2San Diego Zoo, Institute for Conservation Research, 15600 San Pasqual Road, Escondido, California 92027, USA 3Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Baraboo/Sauk County, 1006 Connie Road, Baraboo, Wisconsin 53913, USA 4Department of Biology, Southeastern Louisiana University, SLU Box 10736, Hammond, Louisiana, USA Abstract .—Reproductive cycles in temperate zone colubrid snakes are generally characterized by summer spermatogenesis (postnuptial) in males and spring vitellogenesis (Type I) in females. Watersnakes and gartersnakes in southern North America have shorter hibernation periods than confamilial northern species and potentially different timing of hormonal cues regulating gametogenesis. We studied the reproductive cycles of male and female Broad Banded Watersnakes (Nerodia fasciata confluens) to uncover whether hormone cycles are more similar to closely related northern natricine species or to more distantly related southern colubrids. We collected N. f. confluens from southea