REPRODUCTION AND DIET IN FOUR SPECIES OF BURROWING SNAKES (SIMOSELAPS SPP.) FROM SOUTHWESTERN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

WA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 1 decade ago

Abstract - The reproductive pattern and diet of four Simoselaps species were examined from 259 museum specimens collected from southwestern Western Australia. Few reproductively active females were recorded from the four species (S. bertholdi, S. bimaculatis, S. calonotos and S. fasciolatus) but yolked ovarian follicles and oviductal eggs were observed between October and February with a peak in November and December. Male S. bertholdi had significantly larger testes in October than other months, but no significant seasonal variation was apparent in the small adult sample of other species. The prey of all species consists of scincid and pygopodid lizards. There is a pronounced separation in the diet of S. bertholdi and S. calonotos with the former feeding on surface dwelling skinks and the latter on fossorial skinks and pygopodids.