| poikilotherms as reservoirs of q-fever (coxiella burnetii) in uttar pradesh. | water snakes (natrix natrix), rat snakes (ptyas korros), cobras (naja naja), pythons (python molurus), tortoises (kachuga sp.), plankton fish (cirrhina mrigala), frogs (rana tigrina), toads (bufo sp.) and monitors (varanus indicus) were screened for evidence of q-fever infection by the capillary agglutination test on sera to detect antibodies and/or by attempts to demonstrate coxiella burnetii in spleen and liver samples. sero-reactors were observed among water and rat snakes, pythons and tortoi ... | 1979 | 459042 |
| heart failure associated with unusual hepatic inclusions in a deckert's rat snake. | a juvenile deckert's rat snake, elaphe obsoleta deckerti, was presented with a circumferential enlargement of the body in the region of the heart. the heart was enlarged approximately twice normal size. focal mineralized lesions were present in the tunica media of the right aorta and the right atrioventricular valve. the normal sinusoid architecture of the liver was disrupted with deeply eosinophilic to lightly basophilic granules of variable size in the cytoplasm and light eosinophilic intranuc ... | 1979 | 459049 |
| lipids and cholesterol clefts in the lacunar cells of snake skin. | the lacunar cell layer in rat snake epidermis contains many characteristic intracellular vacuoles. the lipid nature of these large round vacuoles was demonstrated by histochemical and ultrastructural investigations. rhomboid-shaped clefts, similar to cholesterol ester clefts, were observed in proximity to the vacuoles. | 1978 | 626414 |
| effect of feeding on plasma uric acid levels in snakes. | the effect of feeding on plasma-uric acid concentrations of the snake was studied. the values were monitored in 2 gopher snakes and 2 black rat snakes which were fed mice. plasma uric acid values in snakes increased after eating and gradually returned to base line with the digestion of the mice. uric acid concentrations were greater in snakes eating 2 mice than in those eating only 1 mouse. the base-line plasma uric acid concentration in snakes was approximately 2 to 5 mg/dl. plasma uric acid co ... | 1978 | 697168 |
| functional properties of nerve fibers innervating cutaneous corpuscles within cephalic skin of the texas rat snake. | | 1977 | 862696 |
| response properties of mechanosensitive nerve fibers innervating cephalic skin of the texas rat snake. | | 1977 | 862697 |
| the distribution and colocalization of neuropeptides in perivascular nerves innervating the large arteries and veins of the snake, elaphe obsoleta. | single- and dual-labelling immunohistochemistry were used to determine the distribution and coexistence of neuropeptides in perivascular nerves of the large arteries and veins of the snake, elaphe obsoleta, using antibodies for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, substance p, calcitonin gene-related peptide, neuropeptide y, galanin, somatostatin, and leu-enkephalin. blood vessels were sampled from four regions along the body of the snake: region 1, arteries and veins anterior to the heart; region ... | 1992 | 1384980 |
| neural regulation of the pulmonary vasculature in a semi-arboreal snake, elaphe obsoleta. | the innervation of the pulmonary vasculature of the semi-arboreal rat snake, elaphe obsoleta, was examined with glyoxylic acid-induced catecholamine histochemistry, peptide immunohistochemistry, and in vitro perfusion of the pulmonary vasculature. an adrenergic innervation was present on the pulmonary artery, the smaller pulmonary arteries, the veins draining the lung, and the main pulmonary vein. vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-like immunoreactive axons were observed on the pulmonary artery a ... | 1990 | 1692333 |
| identification of a 15-kilodalton surface glycoprotein on sporozoites of cryptosporidium parvum. | an immunoglobulin a monoclonal antibody (mab5c3) was developed against a 15-kda surface glycoprotein (gp15) of cryptosporidium parvum sporozoites. indirect immunofluorescence and colloidal gold immunoelectron microscopy revealed that the antibody reacted with both the sporozoite and merozoite surface plasma membranes. on western immunoblots, mab5c3 binding was found to be strongly inhibited when 200 mm n-acetylglucosamine was used as a competing sugar. n-acetylgalactosamine inhibited binding of ... | 1991 | 1705238 |
| dodecyl n,n-dimethylamino acetate and azone enhance drug penetration across human, snake, and rabbit skin. | the effectiveness of the penetration enhancers, dodecyl n,n-dimethylamino acetate (ddaa) and azone, on pretreated human epidermis for the permeation of model drugs, indomethacin, 5-fluorouracil, and propranolol-hcl, was studied in in vitro diffusion cells. snakeskin (elaphe obsoleta) and rabbit pinna skin were compared as possible models for human skin. the drug concentrations were analyzed by hplc. with all skins and all model drugs, ddaa increased drug permeability at least as well as azone, a ... | 1991 | 1924147 |
| partial purification of prolactin-like substance from snake (ptyas mucosa) pituitaries. | pituitary extract of the common rat snake (ptyas mucosa) was found to be capable of displacing the binding of 125i-labelled ovine prolactin to female rat liver membranes, suggesting the presence of prolactin-like substance in snake pituitary. the snake prolactin-like substance was unadsorbed on concanavalin a-sepharose, but adsorbed on deae-cellulose. the partially purified snake prolactin-like substance was also capable of displacing the binding of 125i-labelled ovine prolactin to snake kidney ... | 1990 | 2101786 |
| presence of prolactin receptors in kidney and large intestine of the snake ptyas mucosa. | 125i-labeled ovine prolactin was used to test for the presence of prolactin receptors in membranes prepared from tissues of the common rat snake ptyas mucosa. high levels of specific binding were found in kidney and large intestine membranes prepared from snakes of both sexes. the binding was time, temperature, and protein dependent. the presence of ca2+ in the incubation medium enhanced the binding, with optimal concentrations at 10-20 mm. specificity of binding was established by employing dif ... | 1990 | 2272458 |
| shed snake skin and hairless mouse skin as model membranes for human skin during permeation studies. | difficulties in obtaining and using human skin have tempted many workers to employ animal membranes for percutaneous absorption studies. we have investigated the suitability of two species of snake (elaphe obsoleta, python molurus) for this purpose and compared our in vitro experimental results for human skin and for hairless mouse, a currently popular model. the effects of long-term hydration on the membranes were investigated over 8 d using tritiated water as a model permeant. the initial perm ... | 1990 | 2299198 |
| new alkyl n,n-dialkyl-substituted amino acetates as transdermal penetration enhancers. | new alcohol derivatives of n,n-disubstituted amino acids with a low toxicity have been synthesized and evaluated for their transdermal penetration enhancing effects on the transport of indomethacin from petrolatum ointments across shed skin of black rat snake (elaphe obsoleta). the derivatives show excellent penetration enhancement of indomethacin, as high as 3.8 times that of azone, with decyl n,n-dimethylamino acetate as the lead compound in the series. the release of indomethacin from an oint ... | 1989 | 2748516 |
| muscular mechanisms of snake locomotion: an electromyographic study of lateral undulation of the florida banded water snake (nerodia fasciata) and the yellow rat snake (elaphe obsoleta). | electromyography and cinematography were used to determine the activity of epaxial muscles of colubrid snakes during terrestrial and aquatic lateral undulatory locomotion. in both types of lateral undulation, at a given longitudinal position, segments of three muscles (mm. semispinalis-spinalis, longissimus dorsi, and iliocostalis) usually show synchronous activity. muscle activity propagates posteriorly and generally is unilateral. with each muscle, large numbers of adjacent segments (30 to 100 ... | 1988 | 3184194 |
| adrenergic innervation of the large arteries and veins of the semiarboreal rat snake elaphe obsoleta. | fluorescence histochemistry was used to study the adrenergic innervation of the large arteries and veins at six points along the body of the semiarboreal rat snake elaphe obsoleta. apart from the vessels adjacent to the heart, there was a marked contrast in the density of adrenergic innervation of anterior and posterior systemic arteries and veins. the anterior arteries and veins have little adrenergic innervation in contrast to the extremely dense innervation of the arteries and veins posterior ... | 1988 | 3199447 |
| blood pressure homeostasis in the snake, ptyas korros. | three putative pressor systems, the alpha-adrenergic system (as), the renin angiotensin system (ras), and the arginine vasotocin system (avt-s), were studied for their roles in blood pressure regulation and their possible interactions in the rat snake. ptyas korros. norepinephrine (ne), angiotensin i (ang i), and arginine vasotocin (avt) increased the mean arterial pressure (map) of the snake while administration of phentolamine, an alpha-adrenergic antagonist, and captopril, an ang-converting e ... | 1986 | 3549436 |
| putative thyroid hormone receptors in red blood cells of some reptiles. | putative triiodothyronine (t3) receptors have been detected in the nuclei of red blood cells (rbc) in a number of reptile species. the binding characteristics of t3 receptors in vitro were dissociation constant (kd) 9.1 to 28.58, 36.8 and 40, and 11.12 and 11.36 pm, and binding capacity (bmax) 0.12 to 0.37, 0.17 and 0.24, and 0.19 and 0.28 fmol per million cells in the rat snake (ptyas korros), soft-shelled turtle (trionyx sinensis), and tokay gecko (gekko gecko), respectively. these data were o ... | 1987 | 3609713 |
| the mechanism of action of angiotensin ii in the rat snake, ptyas korros. | the hindquarter of the rat snake, ptyas korros, was isolated for perfusion study in order to investigate the mechanism of action of angiotensin (ang) ii. both ang ii and norepinephrine (ne) produced concentration-dependent increases in perfusion pressure. [sar1, ile8] ang ii significantly attenuated the response to ang ii but not that of ne. phentolamine significantly reduced the responses to both ang ii and ne, with much greater inhibition on ne than ang ii. these findings suggest the presence ... | 1986 | 3956988 |
| contractile response of the isolated dorsal aorta of the snake to angiotensin ii and norepinephrine. | vasopressor action is a phylogenetically old function of angiotensin (ang) ii. the action can be ascribed to both direct activation of vascular ang ii receptors and through catecholamine release. in the rat snake, ptyas korros, the possible presence of common adrenergic-ang receptors and their involvement in this action have been proposed. in order to elucidate the vasopressor mechanism of ang ii in the snake, and to test the presence of common adrenergic-ang receptors, the contractile response ... | 1985 | 4065534 |
| plasma concentrations of chloramphenicol in snakes. | plasma chloramphenicol concentrations after a subcutaneous injection were studied in 87 snakes of 16 different species. the biological half-life of chloramphenicol varied from 3.3 hours in the indigo snake (drymarchon corais couperi) to 22.1 hours in the midland water snake (nerodia sipedon). a single dosage of 50 mg of chloramphenicol/kg of body weight produced plasma concentrations greater than 5 micrograms/ml for nearly 72 hours in 2 species of water snakes (nerodia erythrogaster, nerodia sip ... | 1985 | 4083608 |
| evidence of a rat-snake life cycle for sarcocystis. | | 1974 | 4217324 |
| camallanides dhamini n. sp. from rat snake ptyas mucosus. | | 1968 | 5751499 |
| the vasopressor action of the renin-angiotensin system in the rat snake, ptyas korros. | the pressor actions of homologous kidney extract and human angiotensins i and ii were studied in the conscious rat snake, ptyas korros. a converting enzyme inhibitor (captopril), an angiotensin ii analogue [( sar1,ala8]ang ii), an alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonist (phentolamine), and a catecholamine releaser (reserpine) were used to elucidate their actions. it was found that captopril attenuated the pressor effects of the kidney extract and angiotensin i but not that of angiotensin ii. [sar1, ... | 1984 | 6392011 |
| thyroid and skin-shedding in the rat snake (ptyas korros). | epidermal-thyroid relationships were studied in thyroidectomized (tx) ptyas korros kept at 23 degrees c by observing changes in shedding frequency (sf), body weight, oxygen consumption rate (ocr), and postsurgical survival. tx animals showed increased sfs but lost weight and eventually died, as did tx animals receiving 3-mono-iodotyrosine injections. however, injections of 3, 5-diiodothyronine inhibited shedding and the animals survived longer. ocrs were similar in all control and experimental g ... | 1983 | 6842157 |
| gastrotomy in a gulf hammock rat snake (elaphe obsoleta williamsi). | | 1980 | 6901442 |
| tissue and serum enzyme activities in the yellow rat snake (elaphe obsoleta quadrivitatta). | activities of diagnostically important enzymes were measured in serum and lysates of liver, kidney, skeletal muscle, heart, intestine, lung, and pancreatic tissues from wild-caught yellow rat snakes, elaphe obsoleta quadrivitatta. all samples were analyzed for alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase (ld), aspartate transaminase (ast), alanine transaminase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, and creatine kinase (ck) activities. the major enzyme activities found in the liver were ld and ast. the kidne ... | 1995 | 7785815 |
| seasonal changes in spermatogenesis and ultrastructure of developing spermatids in the japanese rat snake, elaphe climacophora. | seasonal changes in spermatogenesis and the ultrastructure of developing spermatids in the japanese rat snake, elaphe climacophora, were observed by light and transmission electron microscopy. spermatogenesis in this species began in august, continued through october and ceased in november. no spermatozoa were found during other periods. japanese rat snakes mate from may to july, and spermatogenesis occurs after the mating season. therefore, according to girons' classification (1982), the reprod ... | 1994 | 7865581 |
| effects of monoamine oxidase inhibitors and dopamine agonists on the behavior of mammal- and frog-eating snakes. | skin mucus of the frog, xenopus laevis, induces climbing and attenuates tongue flicking in nerodia sipedon; these effects are induced alone and are potentiated by l-deprenyl, a monoamine oxidase type b inhibitor (mao-bi), but not by clorgyline, an mao type a inhibitor (mao-ai). both mao-a and mao-b metabolize dopamine, with mao-b having the higher affinity; mao-a selectively metabolizes serotonin and norepinephrine and mao-b is selective for phenylethylamine. it was hypothesized that clorgyline ... | 1994 | 7912837 |
| sex- and tissue-specific bkm(gata)-binding protein in the germ cells of heterogametic sex. | the zz male/zw female system of sex determination (female heterogamety) is found in snakes and birds whereas xy male/xx female system of sex determination (male heterogamety) operates in mammals including humans. the w and y chromosomes are largely heterochromatic and undergo cycles of condensation and decondensation in the germ cells of ovary and testis, respectively, whereas they remain highly condensed and transcriptionally inactive in all somatic cells. both chromosomes have enriched stretch ... | 1994 | 7929225 |
| experimental infection of elaphid snakes with cryptosporidium serpentis (apicomplexa: cryptosporidiidae). | the shedding pattern of fecal cryptosporidium serpentis oocysts, histopathologic changes in the gastric region, and the effect of spiramycin treatment were investigated in 6 experimentally infected, captive black rat (elaphe obsoleta obsoleta), 4 yellow rat (elaphe obsoleta quadrivittata), and 2 corn snakes (elaphe guttata guttata). feces were monitored for up to 2 years postinfection (pi). no significant (p > 0.07) differences were observed between expected and observed numbers of pi oocyst-pos ... | 1994 | 7931919 |
| an ultrastructural study of the dorsal lingual epithelium of the rat snake, elaphe quadrivirgata. | the histological characteristics and ultrastructure of the dorsal lingual epithelium of the rat snake, elaphe quadrivirgata, were investigated by light microscopy and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. most of the surface of the bifurcated part of the tongue was relatively smooth. dome-shaped, hemispherical bulges were compactly arranged on the epithelial cell surface of the basal area of this region. intercellular borders were clearly recognizable as striations. microridges were den ... | 1994 | 7978343 |
| feeding behavior and an oropharyngeal component of satiety in a two-headed snake. | we studied the feeding behavior of a dicephalous black rat snake (elaphe o. obsoleta) whose heads attack and ingest prey independently. both heads were given satiation feedings with mouse prey at either 5-day intervals (1989, n = 16 feedings) or 9-11 day intervals (1990, n = 4 feedings). in 1989, a meal pattern was manifested as a negative correlation between total (left + right) meal size (g) and total size of the last meal. meal sizes of the heads were consistently different (l > r) despite th ... | 1993 | 8248341 |
| distribution of immunoreactive atrial and brain natriuretic peptides in the heart of the chicken, quail, snake and frog. | the distribution of atrial natriuretic peptide (anp)- and brain natriuretic peptide (bnp)-granules was examined immunohistochemically and ultrastructurally in the hearts of the chicken, japanese quail, japanese rat snake and bull-frog. moreover, natriuretic peptide (np)-granules in the cardiocytes were analyzed by ultrastructural morphometry. immunohistochemically, anp-immunoreactivity (ir) was not detected in any cardiocytes, but bnp-ir was detectable in most atrial and ventricular cardiocytes ... | 1996 | 8726136 |
| three-dimensional ultrastructure of the surface of the tongue of the rat snake, elaphe climacophora. | many studies have been performed to clarify the relationship between behavioral performance of the tongue and jacobson's organ. the purpose of the present study was to examine the ultrastructural features of the surface of the tongue of the rat snake, elaphe climacophora, and to delineate the functional relationship between the tongue and jacobson's organ from a morphological perspective. | 1996 | 8731033 |
| histological study of the seminiferous epithelium in the japanese rat snake, elaphe climacophora: identification of spermatogonium. | to clarify the features of the seminiferous epithelium of the japanese rat snake, elaphe climacophora, the identification of spermatogonium and the examination of features of cell to cell junctions were performed in the present study. as for the identification, 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (brdu) incorporation was examined immunohistochemically to mark spermatogonia. the seminiferous epithelium was observed throughout a year at the electron microscopic level. brdu immunoreactivity was detected not onl ... | 1997 | 9035073 |
| immunohistochemistry and tinctorial affinity of adenohypophysial cells of the rat snake ptyas mucosus (colubridae). | immunocharacteristics of the adenohypophysial cells of the rat snake ptyas mucosus (colubridae) were studied with an unlabeled antibody enzyme technique (pap method) using rabbit antisera against mammalian/synthetic hypophysial hormones. adenohypophysial cells were identified on the basis of their specific immunoreactivity with various heterologous antisera. as in other reptiles, there was regional localization of pars distalis (pd) cell types in this snake. the gonadotropic (gth) cells were ide ... | 1997 | 9073492 |
| liver microsomes from the yellow rat snake (elaphe obsoleta) and american bullfrog (rana catesbeiana) oxidize polyunsaturated fatty acids by nadph-dependent hydroxylation and epoxidation. | polyunsaturated fatty acids (pufas) can be oxygenated by mammalian hepatic p450s to a series of metabolites. the most prominent of these are formed by omega- and (omega-1)-hydroxylation, epoxidation of the double bonds or bisallylic hydroxylation. the object of the present investigation was to determine whether similar oxygenations are catalyzed by liver microsomes of the yellow rat snake (elaphe obsoleta) and the american bullfrog (rana catesbeiana). liver microsomes were incubated with [1-14c] ... | 1998 | 9437847 |
| nucleotide sequences of reptile calcitonins: their high homology to chicken calcitonin. | the calcitonin genes of four species of reptiles (reeve's turtle, rat snake, grass lizard, and spectacled caiman) were amplified from the genomic dna, as well as from the mrna of the ultimobranchial glands of the former three species, by the polymerase chain reaction (pcr) method, and were sequenced. among several primer sets, only one primer set synthesized from the chicken calcitonin gene was compatible with those of the reptiles. the nucleotide sequences of the reptile calcitonin genes were h ... | 1997 | 9450396 |
| experimental transmission of cryptosporidium oocyst isolates from mammals, birds and reptiles to captive snakes. | groups of four to five, 3-month-old rat snakes (elaphe obsoleta) were separately gastrically inoculated with 2.0 x 10(6) viable oocysts of cryptosporidium muris (mice and calves), c. muris-like (bactrian camels), c. wrairi (guinea pigs), c. baileyi (chickens), c. meleagridis (turkeys), cryptosporidium sp. (turtles, tortoises, chameleons and lizards) and c. serpentis from clinically (fatal case) and subclinically infected snakes. none of the snakes inoculated with oocysts originating from homothe ... | 1998 | 9601150 |
| skin electroporation causes molecular transport across the stratum corneum through localized transport regions. | high voltage pulsing of human skin (approximately 100 v across the skin, 1 ms pulses) has been hypothesized to cause electroporation of the stratum corneum, and to cause large fluxes of drugs and other molecules across the skin, through newly created aqueous pathways. in contrast, iontophoresis (<0.5 ma per cm2, <1 v across the skin) has long been used in transdermal drug delivery, and is believed to involve pre-existing pathways associated with hair follicles and sweat ducts. either high voltag ... | 1998 | 9734832 |
| contribution of the vertebral artery to cerebral circulation in the rat snake elaphe obsoleta. | blood supplying the brain in vertebrates is carried primarily by the carotid vasculature. in most mammals, cerebral blood flow is supplemented by the vertebral arteries, which anastomose with the carotids at the base of the brain. in other tetrapods, cerebral blood is generally believed to be supplied exclusively by the carotid vasculature, and the vertebral arteries are usually described as disappearing into the dorsal musculature between the heart and head. there have been several reports of a ... | 1998 | 9768502 |
| isolation and experimental transmission of a reovirus pathogenic in ratsnakes (elaphe species). | a reovirus was isolated from juvenile moellendorff's ratsnakes (elaphe moellendorffi) and beauty snakes (elaphe taenuris) that died soon after importation into the usa. viper heart (vh2) cells inoculated with tissue homogenates showed cytopathic effects consisting of large syncytia formation followed by cell detachment from the monolayer. tissue culture supernatants failed to hemagglutinate guinea pig and chicken erythrocytes at room temperature. electron microscopy of purified virions revealed ... | 1999 | 10509725 |
| mitochondrial dna phylogeography of the polytypic north american rat snake (elaphe obsoleta): a critique of the subspecies concept. | subspecies have been considered artificial subdivisions of species, pattern classes, or incipient species. however, with more data and modern phylogenetic techniques, some subspecies may be found to represent true species. mitochondrial dna analysis of the polytypic snake, elaphe obsoleta, yields well-supported clades that do not conform to any of the currently accepted subspecies. complete nucleotide sequences of the cytochrome b gene and the mitochondrial control region produced robust maximum ... | 2000 | 11209786 |
| cardiovascular responses of snakes to hypergravity. | snakes have provided useful vertebrate models for understanding circulatory adaptation to gravity, attributable to their elongate body shape and evolutionary diversificaton in terms of ecology and behavior. recently we have studied cardiovascular responses of snakes to hypergravic acceleration forces produced acutely in the head-to-tail direction (+gz) on a short-arm centrifuge. snakes were held in a nearly straight position within a horizontal plastic tube and subjected to a linear force gradie ... | 1997 | 11540115 |
| cardiovascular responses of semi-arboreal snakes to chronic, intermittent hypergravity. | cardiovascular functions were studied in semi-arboreal rat snakes (elaphe obsoleta) following long-term, intermittent exposure to +1.5 gz (head-to-tail acceleration) on a centrifuge. snakes were held in a nearly straight position within horizontal plastic tubes during periods of centrifugation. centrifugal acceleration, therefore, subjected snakes to a linear force gradient with the maximal force being experienced at the tail. compared to non-centrifuged controls, gz-acclimated snakes showed gre ... | 1996 | 11540396 |
| the behavioral reactions of a snake and a turtle to abrupt decreases in gravity. | we report here on the behavioral reaction of two reptiles to abrupt decreases in gravity. one striped rat snake, elaphe quadrivirgata, and three striped-neck pond turtles, mauremys japonica, were exposed to microgravity on parabolic flight, during the filming of a documentary for the nhk television station in japan. the video films revealed that the snake reflexively responded to the shift from hyper- to hypogravity by taking up a defensive posture--on the first parabola, the snake struck at its ... | 1993 | 11542224 |
| morbidity and mortality of reptiles admitted to the wildlife center of virginia, 1991 to 2000. | medical records from 694 reptiles admitted to the wildlife center of virginia (wcv; waynesboro, virginia, usa) from 1991 to 2000 were reviewed to determine causes of morbidity and mortality. eighteen species were represented but the majority of cases were four species; eastern box turtle (terrapene carolina) (66%), eastern painted turtle (chrysemys picta) (11%), common snapping turtle (chelydra serpentina) (10%), and rat snake (elaphe sp.) (6%). there was a significant increase in reptile cases ... | 2002 | 12528435 |
| effects of ultraviolet b on epidermal morphology, shedding, lipid peroxide, and antioxidant enzymes in cope's rat snake (elaphe taeniura). | cope's rat snakes (elaphe taeniura) favor to expose under sunlight in order to increase their body temperature simultaneously increasing the risk of skin damage by ultraviolet b (uvb) irradiation. we have investigated the effects of uvb irradiation on their skin. results show that the uvb transmission of the keratinous layer was only 5.1+/-0.36%. the peak of epidermal damage and malondialdehyde (mda) content, a product of lipid peroxidation, simultaneously occurred 72-96, 48 or 24 h after exposu ... | 2003 | 14644569 |
| hepatozoon sauritus: a polytopic hemogregarine of three genera and four species of snakes in north florida, with specific identity verified from genome analysis. | hemogregarines from thamnophis s. sirtalis, coluber constrictor priapus, elaphe obsoleta quadrivittata, and e. g. guttara in northern florida appeared to be conspecific on the basis of similar gamonts from all the hosts and sporogonic stages obtained from 3 hosts. the resemblance of gamonts to those of hepatozoon sauritus, described from t. sauritus sackenii in southern florida, justified comparison of dna isolates from the type infection of h. sauritus with samples from each of the northern flo ... | 2004 | 15165059 |
| hepatic billrubin-ix-alpha-glycosyltransferase activities in animals excreting primarily biliverdin into bile. | a wide variation was observed in hepatic bilirubin-ix-alpha uridine diphosphate (udp) glucuronyl, glucosyl and xylosyl transferase activities among yellow rat snakes, pin fish, chickens, turkeys, sea turtles, alligators, nutria and rats. lower hepatic enzyme activities were observed in fish, snakes, turtles, and avian species with intermediate enzyme activities present in the livers of nutria and alligators. hepatic glycosyltransferase activities were greater in the biliverdin-excreting species ... | 1981 | 15311383 |
| absence of detectable salmonella cloacal shedding in free-living reptiles on admission to the wildlife center of virginia. | salmonellosis is an important reptile-associated zoonotic infection in the united states. cloacal swabs were collected from reptiles admitted to the wildlife center of virginia, waynesboro, virginia, cultured for salmonella using hektoen and xylose lysine deoxycholate agars, and inoculated in selenite broth. all three were incubated at 37 degrees c for 18-24 hr. seventy-five animals were included in the study, representing eight species, 34 eastern box turtles (terrapene carolina carolina), 14 e ... | 2004 | 15732603 |
| highly conserved linkage homology between birds and turtles: bird and turtle chromosomes are precise counterparts of each other. | the karyotypes of birds, turtles and snakes are characterized by two distinct chromosomal components, macrochromosomes and microchromosomes. this close karyological relationship between birds and reptiles has long been a topic of speculation among cytogeneticists and evolutionary biologists; however, there is scarcely any evidence for orthology at the molecular level. to define the conserved chromosome synteny among humans, chickens and reptiles and the process of genome evolution in the amniote ... | 2005 | 16170625 |
| actin-inhibition and folding of vertebrate deoxyribonuclease i are affected by mutations at residues 67 and 114. | amino acid (aa) residues (val-67 and ala-114) have been suggested as being mainly responsible for actin-binding in human and bovine deoxyribonucleases i (dnase i). this study presents evidence of these two aa mutational mechanisms, not only for actin-binding but also for folding of dnase i in mammals, reptiles and amphibians. human and viper snake (agkistrodon blomhoffii) enzymes are inhibited by actin, whereas porcine, rat snake (elaphe quadrivirgata), and african clawed frog (xenopus laevis) e ... | 2006 | 16311052 |
| histochemical and ultrastructural features of the lingual epithelium of the rat snake (elaphe climacophora). | the histological, ultrastructural and histochemical characteristics of the lingual epithelium of the rat snake (elaphe climacophora) were investigated by light and transmission electron microscopy. the cells in the beta-layer of the epithelium of the bifurcated apex were filled with beta-keratin fibers and an amorphous matrix. round projections covering the surface of the epithelial cells, namely, microfacets which contained pale granules, were clearly visible on the outer faces of oberhäutchen ... | 2003 | 16351891 |
| evidence for different origin of sex chromosomes in snakes, birds, and mammals and step-wise differentiation of snake sex chromosomes. | all snake species exhibit genetic sex determination with the zz/zw type of sex chromosomes. to investigate the origin and evolution of snake sex chromosomes, we constructed, by fish, a cytogenetic map of the japanese four-striped rat snake (elaphe quadrivirgata) with 109 cdna clones. eleven of the 109 clones were localized to the z chromosome. all human and chicken homologues of the snake z-linked genes were located on autosomes, suggesting that the sex chromosomes of snakes, mammals, and birds ... | 2006 | 17110446 |
| metastatic chondrosarcoma and subcutaneous granulomas in a grey rat snake (elaphe obsoleta obsoleta). | | 1993 | 17424204 |
| different origins of bird and reptile sex chromosomes inferred from comparative mapping of chicken z-linked genes. | recent progress of chicken genome projects has revealed that bird zw and mammalian xy sex chromosomes were derived from different autosomal pairs of the common ancestor; however, the evolutionary relationship between bird and reptilian sex chromosomes is still unclear. the chinese soft-shelled turtle (pelodiscus sinensis) exhibits genetic sex determination, but no distinguishable (heteromorphic) sex chromosomes have been identified. in order to investigate this further, we performed molecular cy ... | 2007 | 17675849 |
| tick fauna from two locations in the brazilian savannah. | the cerrado is brazil's tropical savannah, which is arguably under greater threat than the amazon rainforest. the cerrado biome of tropical south america covers about 2 million km(2) and is considered a biodiversity hot spot which means that it is especially rich in endemic species and particularly threatened by human activities. the cerrado is increasingly exposed to agricultural activities which enhance the likelihood of mixing parasites from rural, urban and wildlife areas. information about ... | 2007 | 17828441 |
| rhythmic contractility in the hepatic portal "corkscrew" vein of the rat snake. | terrestrial, but not aquatic, species of snakes have hepatic portal veins with a corkscrew morphology immediately posterior of the liver. relatively large volumes of venous blood are associated with this region, and the corkscrew vein has been proposed to function as a bidirectional valve that impedes gravitational shifts of intravascular volume. to better understand the functional significance of the corkscrew anatomy, we investigated the histology and contractile mechanisms in isolated corkscr ... | 2009 | 19049826 |
| isolation and characterization of a new fungal species, chrysosporium ophiodiicola, from a mycotic granuloma of a black rat snake (elaphe obsoleta obsoleta). | isolation and characterization of the new species chrysosporium ophiodiicola from a mycotic granuloma of a black rat snake (elaphe obsoleta obsoleta) are reported. analysis of the sequences of different fragments of the ribosomal genes demonstrated that this species belongs to the onygenales and that this species is genetically different from other morphologically similar species of chrysosporium. this new species is unique in having both narrow and cylindrical-to-slightly clavate conidia and a ... | 2009 | 19109465 |
| successful artificial insemination in the corn snake, elaphe gutatta, using fresh and cooled semen. | the design and implementation of assisted reproductive technology to improve genetic diversity and augment captive populations is an important but rarely applied research field in reptiles. using the corn snake (elaphe gutatta) as a model, the henry doorly zoo recently produced offspring born as a result of artificial insemination using both fresh, diluted semen, and diluted semen stored at refrigeration for 3 days. semen was collected noninvasively from sexually mature male corn snakes using a ... | 2007 | 19360586 |
| identifying predators clarifies predictors of nest success in a temperate passerine. | 1. nest predation negatively affects most avian populations. studies of nest predation usually group all nest failures when attempting to determine temporal and parental activities, habitat or landscape predictors of success. often these studies find few significant predictors and interpret patterns as essentially random. 2. relatively little is known about the importance of individual predator species or groups on observed patterns of nest success, and how the ecology of these predators may inf ... | 2010 | 19656236 |
| identification and characterization of phospholipase a2 inhibitors from the serum of the japanese rat snake, elaphe climacophora. | two distinct phospholipase a2 (pla2) inhibitory proteins (plis) were purified from the serum of the japanese rat snake, elaphe climacophora. the 150-kda inhibitor, a trimer of a 50-kda subunit, specifically inhibited the basic pla2 purified from the venom of gloydius brevicaudus, whereas the 120-kda one composed of two distinct 25-kda subunits. a and b, inhibited both the acidic and basic pla2s of g. brevicaudus. on the basis of their amino acid sequences, these inhibitors were assigned as pli b ... | 2009 | 19673083 |
| karyotypic evolution in squamate reptiles: comparative gene mapping revealed highly conserved linkage homology between the butterfly lizard (leiolepis reevesii rubritaeniata, agamidae, lacertilia) and the japanese four-striped rat snake (elaphe quadrivirgata, colubridae, serpentes). | the butterfly lizard (leiolepis reevesii rubritaeniata) has the diploid chromosome number of 2n = 36, comprising two distinctive components, macrochromosomes and microchromosomes. to clarify the conserved linkage homology between lizard and snake chromosomes and to delineate the process of karyotypic evolution in squamata, we constructed a cytogenetic map of l. reevesii rubritaeniata with 54 functional genes and compared it with that of the japanese four-striped rat snake (e. quadrivirgata, 2n = ... | 2009 | 19937109 |
| linking snake behavior to nest predation in a midwestern bird community. | nest predators can adversely affect the viability of songbird populations, and their impact is exacerbated in fragmented habitats. despite substantial research on this predator-prey interaction, however, almost all of the focus has been on the birds rather than their nest predators, thereby limiting our understanding of the factors that bring predators and nests into contact. we used radiotelemetry to document the activity of two snake species (rat snakes, elaphe obsoleta; racers, coluber constr ... | 2010 | 20349843 |
| molecular cloning, characterization, and chromosome mapping of reptilian estrogen receptors. | in many vertebrates, steroid hormones are essential for ovarian differentiation during a critical developmental stage as well as promoting the growth and differentiation of the adult female reproductive system. although studies have been extensively conducted in mammals and a few fish, amphibians, and bird species, the molecular mechanisms of sex steroid hormone (estrogens) action have been poorly examined in reptiles. here, we evaluate hormone receptor and ligand interactions in two species of ... | 2010 | 20926589 |
| pituitary cystadenoma, enterolipidosis, and cutaneous mycosis in an everglades ratsnake (elaphe obsoleta rossalleni). | an 11-yr-old captive-born male everglades ratsnake (elaphe obsoleta rosalleni) presented with dysecdysis, hyperkeratosis, and inappetance. two skin biopsies demonstrated a diffuse hyperkeratosis with both a bacterial and fungal epidermitis. fusarium oxysporum was cultured from both biopsies and considered an opportunistic infection rather than a primary pathogen. medical management was unsuccessful, and the snake was euthanized. histologic findings included a pituitary cystadenoma arising from t ... | 2010 | 20945658 |
| arboreal habitat structure affects route choice by rat snakes. | in arboreal habitats gaps between branches and branch structure profoundly affect the ability of animals to move; hence, an ability to perceive such attributes could facilitate choosing routes that enhance the speed and ease of locomotion. although many snakes are arboreal, no previous study has determined whether they can perceive structural variation of branches that is mechanically relevant to their locomotion. we tested whether the gap distance, location, and attributes of two destination pe ... | 2010 | 20957373 |
| perch size and structure have species-dependent effects on the arboreal locomotion of rat snakes and boa constrictors. | arboreal habitats create diverse challenges for animal locomotion, but the numerical and phylogenetic diversity of snakes that climb trees suggest that their overall body plan is well suited for this task. snakes have considerable diversity of axial anatomy, but the functional consequences of this diversity for arboreal locomotion are poorly understood because of the lack of comparative data. we simulated diverse arboreal surfaces to test whether environmental structure had different effects on ... | 2011 | 21653813 |
| tick infestation on wild snakes in northern part of western ghats of india. | in total, 167 individuals of 30 species of snakes belonging to 22 genera and five families were examined for tick infestation from november 2008 to march 2010. only two species of snakes, ptyas mucosa (l., 1758) (indian rat snake) and naja naja (l., 1758) (spectacled cobra), were found infested by ticks. all ticks collected were identified to be amblyomma gervaisi [previously aponomma gervaisi (lucas, 1847) 1. the average prevalence of these ticks on indian rat snakes (n=48) was 29.16%, with abu ... | 2011 | 21661308 |
| histological and immunocytochemical study of deferens ducts in the chinese rat snake (zaocys dhumnades). | to investigate the relationship between structure and function of the deferens ducts in the chinese rat snake (zaocys dhumnades), morphological changes within an annual cycle were observed by routine histological techniques. also, the correlation of androgen receptor (ar), estrogen receptor (er), progesterone receptor (pr) and aromatase (ar) expressions in the vas deferens and testis were studied immunohistochemically. to confirm that the sperm and the spherical structure existed in deferens duc ... | 2011 | 22184027 |
| completion of the life cycle of sarcocystis zuoi, a parasite from norway rat, rattus norvegicus. | abstract transmission experiments were performed to elucidate the life cycle of sarcocystis zuoi found in norway rats (rattus norvegicus) from china. two king rat snakes (elaphe carinata) fed sarcocysts from the muscles of 4 naturally infected norway rats shed sporocyts measuring 10.8 ± 0.7 × 8.0 ± 0.7 μm with a prepatent period of 8 to 9 days. sporocyts from the intestine of 2 experimentally infected king rat snakes were given to the laboratory sd rats (rattus norvegicus) and km mice (mus mus ... | 2011 | 22150019 |
| the kinetic properties and sensitivity to pyruvate inhibition of tissue lactate dehydrogenase in diving and nondiving reptiles. | the kinetic properties and susceptibility to pyruvate inhibition of lactate dehydrogenase (ldh) were examined in three tissues of the freshwater turtle, pseudemys scripta, and two snake species, elaphe obsoleta and nerodia rhombifera. brain and heart ldh activity of the snakes surpassed that of pseudemys at pyruvate concentrations between 0.03 and 0.50 mm. the snakes also had lower apparent km and higher vmax values than pseudemys. liver ldh activity, apparent km, and vmax were highest in elaphe ... | 2013 | 3568616 |
| first molecular characterization of enteric protozoa and the human pathogenic microsporidian, enterocytozoon bieneusi, in captive snakes in china. | enteric protozoa are frequently found in snakes. nevertheless, few studies regarding genetic characterization of these parasites have been carried out. we describe here the first molecular survey of protozoan pathogens from snakes in china and the first report on enterocytozoon bieneusi genotyping in snakes in the world. here, 240 fecal specimens were collected from two species of captive snakes, naja naja (indian cobra) and ptyas mucosus (oriental rat snake), in guangxi province, china, and exa ... | 2014 | 24906991 |
| hepatozoon and theileria species detected in ticks collected from mammals and snakes in thailand. | we report the detection of hepatozoon and theileria in 103 ticks from mammals and snakes in thailand. by using a genus-specific 18s rrna pcr, hepatozoon and theileria spp. were detected in 8% and 18%, respectively, of ticks (n=79) removed from mammals. of the ticks removed from snakes (n=24), 96% were infected with hepatozoon spp., but none were infected with theileria. phylogenetic analysis revealed that hepatozoon spp. detected from dermacentor astrosignatus and dermacentor auratus ticks from ... | 2015 | 25736475 |
| four additional hepatozoon species (apicomplexa: hepatozoidae) from north florida ratsnakes, genus pantherophis. | records from a colubrid host are reported for hepatozoon horridus, described originally from a viperid snake. hepatozoon horridus in pantherophis guttatus (colubridae) has gamonts 14-18.0 by 4.0-5.5 microm, with length by width (lw) 60-99 microm2, and l/w ratio 2.5-3.9. spherical to elongate, usually ovoid oocysts with l/w ratio 1.0-3.7 contain 16-160 spherical to usually ovoid sporocysts 15-31 by 14-26 microm, with l/w ratio 1.0-1.4, that contain 5-24 sporozoites. two additional hepatozoon spec ... | 2012 | 23136796 |
| further serial transmission electron microscopy studies of auditory hair cell innervation in lizards and in a snake. | auditory hair cells of three lizard and one snake species were studied by serial transmission electron microscopy (tem) sections of two unidirectional hair cells (uhc) and two bidirectional hair cells (bhc) and by nonserial section montages of each entire papilla cut at 2-microns intervals across the papillar width. the unidirectional hair cell region of the agamid lizard, acanthosaura crucigera, lacked efferent innervation. another agamid lizard, agama agama, studied by nonserial section only, ... | 1990 | 2375282 |
| protamines of reptiles. | we have characterized for the first time the complete primary structure of the main protamine components of the sperm from four reptiles: chrysemys picta (turtle), elaphe obsoleta (snake), anolis carolinensis (lizard), and alligator mississipiensis (crocodilian). these species were chosen to represent one of each of the main phylogenetic branches of this taxonomic group. comparison of these protamine sequences with those already available from other vertebrate groups allows us to define properly ... | 1996 | 8798564 |
| do seasonal patterns of rat snake (pantherophis obsoletus) and black racer (coluber constrictor) activity predict avian nest predation? | avian nest success often varies seasonally and because predation is the primary cause of nest failure, seasonal variation in predator activity has been hypothesized to explain seasonal variation in nest success. despite the fact that nest predator communities are often diverse, recent evidence from studies of snakes that are nest predators has lent some support to the link between snake activity and nest predation. however, the strength of the relationship has varied among studies. explaining th ... | 2016 | 27099708 |
| fatty acid analyses may provide insight into the progression of starvation among squamate reptiles. | fasting-induced changes in fatty acid composition have been reported to occur within the body lipids of several types of animals; however, little is known about the changes in fatty acid profiles exhibited by reptiles subjected to prolonged fasting. this study characterizes the fatty acid profiles of six reptile species subjected to sublethal periods of fasting lasting 0, 56, 112, and 168 days. analyses of fatty acid methyl esters (fames) conducted on the total body lipids of rattlesnakes (crota ... | 2008 | 18657629 |
| stable isotopes may provide evidence for starvation in reptiles. | previous studies have attempted to correlate stable isotope signatures of tissues with the nutritional condition of birds, mammals, fishes, and invertebrates. unfortunately, very little is known about the relationship between food limitation and the isotopic composition of reptiles. we examined the effects that starvation has on delta13c and delta15n signatures in the tissues (excreta, carcass, scales, and claws) of six, distantly related squamate reptiles (gaboon vipers, bitis gabonica; ball py ... | 2008 | 18613003 |
| snake co-occurrence patterns are best explained by habitat and hypothesized effects of interspecific interactions. | snakes often occur in species-rich assemblages, and sympatry is thought to be facilitated primarily by low diet overlap, not interspecific interactions. we selected, a priori, three species pairs consisting of species that are morphologically and taxonomically similar and may therefore be likely to engage in interspecific, consumptive competition. we then examined a large-scale database of snake detection/nondetection data and used occupancy modelling to determine whether these species occur tog ... | 2014 | 23998642 |
| power lines, roads, and avian nest survival: effects on predator identity and predation intensity. | 1 anthropogenic alteration of landscapes can affect avian nest success by influencing the abundance, distribution, and behavior of predators. understanding avian nest predation risk necessitates understanding how landscapes affect predator distribution and behavior. 2 from a sample of 463 nests of 17 songbird species, we evaluated how landscape features (distance to forest edge, unpaved roads, and power lines) influenced daily nest survival. we also used video cameras to identify nest predators ... | 2014 | 24967077 |
| karyotype evolution in monitor lizards: cross-species chromosome mapping of cdna reveals highly conserved synteny and gene order in the toxicofera clade. | the water monitor lizard (varanus salvator macromaculatus (vsa), platynota) has a chromosome number of 2n = 40: its karyotype consists of 16 macrochromosomes and 24 microchromosomes. to delineate the process of karyotype evolution in v. salvator macromaculatus, we constructed a cytogenetic map with 86 functional genes and compared it with those of the butterfly lizard (leiolepis reevesii rubritaeniata (lre); 2n = 36) and japanese four-striped rat snake (elaphe quadrivirgata (equ); 2n = 36), memb ... | 2013 | 24343421 |
| intra-genomic gc heterogeneity in sauropsids: evolutionary insights from cdna mapping and gc(3) profiling in snake. | extant sauropsids (reptiles and birds) are divided into two major lineages, the lineage of testudines (turtles) and archosauria (crocodilians and birds) and the lineage of lepidosauria (tuatara, lizards, worm lizards and snakes). karyotypes of these sauropsidan groups generally consist of macrochromosomes and microchromosomes. in chicken, microchromosomes exhibit a higher gc-content than macrochromosomes. to examine the pattern of intra-genomic gc heterogeneity in lepidosaurian genomes, we const ... | 2012 | 23140509 |
| sarcocystis clethrionomyelaphis matuschka, 1986 (apicomplexa: sarcocystidae) infecting the large oriental vole eothenomys miletus (thomas) (cricetidae: microtinae) and its phylogenetic relationships with other species of sarcocystis lankester, 1882. | sarcocystis clethrionomyelaphis matuschka, 1986 was first identified in skeletal muscles of 47 (75.8%) of 62 large oriental voles eothenomys miletus (thomas) captured between march 2012 and may 2014 in anning prefecture of yunnan province (china). sarcocyst walls were thick and possessed villous protrusions measuring 3.5-5.5 μm in length. beauty rat snakes elaphe taeniura (cope) fed sarcocysts of the species shed sporulated oöcysts measuring 13-18×9-13 (16×12) μm with a prepatent period of 16 to ... | 2015 | 26063304 |
| responses by domestic cats (felis catus) to snake scent gland secretions. | the scent gland secretions of snakes are thought to repel predators, but few predator species have been tested for responses to these exudates. domestic cats (felis catus) were tested for responses to scent gland secretions of the gray rat snake (elaphe obsoleta), or to choloroform extracts of them, applied to filter paper or food. more cats salivated or rubbed on filter papers treated with scent gland secretions than on control papers. scent gland exudates elicited rubbing and pawing in cats mo ... | 1990 | 24263267 |
| requirement of extracellular ca(2+) binding to specific amino acids for heat-evoked activation of trpa1. | we found that extracellular ca(2+) , but not other divalent cations (mg(2+) and ba(2+) ) or intracellular ca(2+) , is involved in heat-evoked activation of green anole (ga) trpa1. heat-evoked activation of chicken (ch) and rat snake (rs) trpa1 does not depend solely on extracellular ca(2+) . neutralization of acidic amino acids on the outer surface of trpa1 by extracellular ca(2+) is important for heat-evoked large activation of gatrpa1, chtrpa1 and rstrpa1. | 2017 | 28194754 |
| molecular evidence of sarcocystis species in captive snakes in japan. | sarcocystis nesbitti, using snakes as the definitive host, is a causative agent of acute human muscular sarcocystosis in malaysia. therefore, it is important to explore the distribution and prevalence of s. nesbitti in snakes. nevertheless, epizootiological information of s. nesbitti in snakes remains insufficient because few surveys have assessed sarcocystis infection in snakes in endemic countries. in japan, snakes are popular exotic pet animals that are imported from overseas, but the degree ... | 2015 | 26044884 |
| ophidascaris wangi sp. n. and o. najae (gedoelst, 1916) (ascaridida: ascaridoidea) from snakes in china. | ophidascaris wangi sp. n. collected from the king rat snake elaphe carinata (günther) (serpentes: colubridae) in china is described using both light and scanning electron microscopy. the new species differs from its congeners in the presence of narrow lateral alae originating a short distance posterior to the base of the ventrolateral lips, its relatively long oesophagus (3.57-4.54 mm long, representing 6.6-7.6% of body length), its short spicules (1.89-2.14 mm long, representing 3.9-4.3% of bod ... | 2014 | 25651700 |
| hybridization between mtdna-defined phylogeographic lineages of black ratsnakes (pantherophis sp.). | phylogeographic analyses using mitochondrial dna (mtdna) have revealed many examples of apparently deep historical subdivisions ('phylogroups') within many vertebrates. it remains unclear whether these phylogroups represent independently evolving, adaptively differentiated lineages or groups that show little functional differentiation and, hence, will merge on contact. here, we use mtdna sequence data to evaluate the phylogeographic relationships between two of the northernmost populations of bl ... | 2006 | 17032272 |
| sarcocystis pantherophis n. sp., from eastern rat snakes (pantherophis alleghaniensis) definitive hosts and interferon gamma gene knockout mice as experimental intermediate hosts. | here we report a new species, sarcocystis pantherophisi n. sp. with the eastern rat snake (pantherophis alleghaniensis) as natural definitive host and the interferon gamma gene knockout (ko) mouse as the experimental intermediate host. sporocysts (n = 15) from intestinal contents of the snake were 17.3 x 10.9 µm. sporocysts were orally infective to interferon gamma ko mice but not to laboratory raised albino outbred house mice (mus musculus). the interferon gamma ko mice developed schizont-assoc ... | 2017 | 28617656 |
| spatial complexity of carcass location influences vertebrate scavenger efficiency and species composition. | scavenging plays an important role in shaping communities through inter- and intra-specific interactions. although vertebrate scavenger efficiency and species composition is likely influenced by the spatial complexity of environments, heterogeneity in carrion distribution has largely been disregarded in scavenging studies. we tested this hypothesis by experimentally placing juvenile bird carcasses on the ground and in nests in trees to simulate scenarios of nestling bird carrion availability. we ... | 2017 | 28860543 |
| predator recognition learning in rainbow darters etheostoma caeruleum: specific learning and neophobia. | this study investigated whether rainbow darters etheostoma caeruleum can learn to recognize unfamiliar predators through the process of classical conditioning. etheostoma caeruleum were conditioned by exposing them simultaneously to their chemical alarm cues (a known fright stimulus) and either chemical cues from larval ringed salamanders ambystoma annulatum (unfamiliar predator) or to a blank water cue (control). conditioning could result in either specific learning of the a. annulatum cue or i ... | 2016 | 27325601 |
| body temperatures of selected amphibian and reptile species. | ectothermic vertebrates are a diverse group of animals that rely on external sources to maintain a preferred body temperature. amphibians and reptiles have a preferred optimal temperature zone that allows for optimal biological function. physiologic processes in ectotherms are influenced by temperature; these animals have capabilities in which they make use of behavioral and physiologic mechanisms to thermoregulate. core body, ambient air, body surface, and surface/water temperatures were obtain ... | 2012 | 23082515 |
| responses to snake odors by laboratory mice. | male and female laboratory mice (mus musculus ; harlan sprague dawley) were tested for reactions to snake odors. in the first experiment, mice were presented with untreated paper on the floor of one side of a test tank and snake-scented or control (water misted) paper on the other side. the scented papers were obtained from rough earth snakes (virginia striatula ), which were fed earthworms, and a rat snake (elaphe obsoleta ), which ate mice. male mice exhibited no differences in response to the ... | 1987 | 24897256 |
| what is your diagnosis? a soft tissue mass in a black rat snake. | | 2015 | 26427028 |
| ameloblastoma in a wild black rat snake (pantherophis alleghaniensis). | reports of neoplasia in captive reptiles are becoming more frequent; however, there is still scarce knowledge of the occurrence of neoplasia in wild reptiles. a wild black rat snake (pantherophis alleghaniensis) was presented to the zoological medicine service of the university of georgia's veterinary teaching hospital with a 3 cm in diameter solid mandibular mass that was partially ulcerated. radiographically, the mass was radiopaque with small bone spicules and partial osteolysis of the adjace ... | 2015 | 26077548 |
| hierarchical patterns of genetic population structure in black rat snakes (elaphe obsoleta obsoleta) as revealed by microsatellite dna analysis. | we investigated the distribution of variation at six microsatellite loci in the black rat snake (elaphe obsoleta obsoleta). sampling occurred at three hierarchical scales ranging from communal hibernacula to regional populations, with most locales situated within the frontenac axis region of eastern ontario. we detected no statistically significant pairwise differentiation (fst and rst ) between hibernacula within the same subpopulations (interhibernaculum distance <6 km). however, isolation-by- ... | 1999 | 28565468 |