TY - JOUR
T1 - Conflicts between courtship and thermoregulation
T2 - the thermal ecology of amorous male garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietallis, Colubridae)
AU - Shine, R.
AU - Harlow, P. S.
AU - Elphick, M. J.
AU - Olsson, M. M.
AU - Mason, R. T.
N1 - Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.
PY - 2000/7
Y1 - 2000/7
N2 - Thermoregulatory behavior is an important component of daily activities for many reptiles, especially for small heliothermic (sun-basking) species that inhabit cold climates. However, the relative costs and benefits of thermoregulation depend on numerous factors, such that reptiles may sometimes accord a low priority to precise control of body temperatures. We observed and radio tracked garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) in central Manitoba during the mating season (spring). Previous studies on this species have documented precise behavioral regulation of body temperatures during summer. In contrast, the courting snakes that we studied in springtime spent little time in overt thermoregulatory behavior. Body temperatures were extremely variable (both in outdoor enclosures and in the field) despite abundant opportunities for more precise thermal control. These small elongate reptiles cool so quickly (relative to the time periods needed for effective courtship) that any benefit to higher body temperatures would be transitory at best. Experiments show that hotter males are no better at obtaining matings or at detecting predators. Thus, male garter snakes concentrate on courtship rather than on basking. In the face of conflicting priorities, reptiles may often forgo precise thermoregulation because its benefits are too low, and its costs too high, compared with alternative behaviors.
AB - Thermoregulatory behavior is an important component of daily activities for many reptiles, especially for small heliothermic (sun-basking) species that inhabit cold climates. However, the relative costs and benefits of thermoregulation depend on numerous factors, such that reptiles may sometimes accord a low priority to precise control of body temperatures. We observed and radio tracked garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) in central Manitoba during the mating season (spring). Previous studies on this species have documented precise behavioral regulation of body temperatures during summer. In contrast, the courting snakes that we studied in springtime spent little time in overt thermoregulatory behavior. Body temperatures were extremely variable (both in outdoor enclosures and in the field) despite abundant opportunities for more precise thermal control. These small elongate reptiles cool so quickly (relative to the time periods needed for effective courtship) that any benefit to higher body temperatures would be transitory at best. Experiments show that hotter males are no better at obtaining matings or at detecting predators. Thus, male garter snakes concentrate on courtship rather than on basking. In the face of conflicting priorities, reptiles may often forgo precise thermoregulation because its benefits are too low, and its costs too high, compared with alternative behaviors.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0033773120&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1086/317734
DO - 10.1086/317734
M3 - Article
C2 - 11009405
AN - SCOPUS:0033773120
SN - 1522-2152
VL - 73
SP - 508
EP - 516
JO - Physiological and Biochemical Zoology
JF - Physiological and Biochemical Zoology
IS - 4
ER -