Ecology of the smooth snake Coronella austriaca Laurenti in Britain

Goddard, Paul (1981) Ecology of the smooth snake Coronella austriaca Laurenti in Britain. University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.

Abstract

An investigation into the ecology of Coronella austriaca in a lowland heathland habitat in Britain from 1976 to 1978 is described. Data concerning reproduction, morphology, thermal biology, movements, feeding, overwintering and population ecology are presented. The majority of this information was collected during a capture-mark-recapture study of hand caught specimens on two sites in the New Forest, Hampshire. C. austriaca emerged from overwintering from February to April and mated in May. Ovulation, (determined by palpation and radiography) occurred in June, and birth took place sometime during August to October inclusive. The mean litter size was 3.9 ± 0.35 snakes (n = 14). There was no correlation between reproductive effort and snout-vent length (SVL). The female reproductive cycle was irregular. Both sexes became sexually mature in their third year of life at about 33.0 cm SVL. Growth continued at a reduced rate after attainment of sexual maturity. Specimens survived to an age of ten years or more. Female C. austriaca were more precise thermoregulators than males, and for this reason they exhibited greater vagility. Most specimens, regardless of sex, moved less than 200 m between capture localities. Limited movement areas on two sites averaged 2.969 r 0.840 ha (n = 17) and 0.692 ~ 0.283 ha (n = 16) respectively. Small mammals and lizards comprised the prey for C. austriaca. There was no evidence to suggest one prey type was more important than another. However, results of experiments concerning innate feeding preference among naive newborn snakes suggested that in this age group lacertid lizards were the most preferred dietary item. It is suggested that resource competition may occur between Vipers berus L. and C. austriaca. Most C. austriaca entered overwintering, in September, though postpartum females remained active into October in order to forage for food. Direct enumeration of marked C. austriaca suggested that the population size on two sites were 72 snakes and 54 snakes respectively. This was equivalent to densities of 0.92 snakes/ha and 1.99 snakes/ha respectively. The sex ratio of captured snakes was 1:1. Mortality was probably high among juvenile snakes and low among adults. In terms of its life-history strategy, C. austriaca is K-selected and consequently the duration stability of its habitat is of prime importance in the conservation of the species.

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