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Home Range, Movements, and Activity of the Eastern Worm Snake, Carphophis Amoenus Amoenus
Author(s) -
Barbour Roger W.,
Harvey Michael J.,
Hardin James W.
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1933902
Subject(s) - home range , evening , ecology , biology , physics , astronomy , habitat
Movements of 10 eastern worm snakes (Carphophis amoenus amoenus) were studied using radioisotope tagging and tracing techniques. The study was conducted at Robinson Forest, Breathitt County, Kentucky, from early May to late October 1966. Snakes were tagged subcutaneously, using a hypodermic needle and plunger apparatus, with 50—80 μc Cp 6 0 alloy wire tags. Detection apparatus consisted of a Victoreen model 489 Thyac II survey meter equipped with earphones, shoulder strap, and scintillation probe mounted at one end of a 3—m tubular aluminum pole. Each snake was located 46 to 89 times. Home ranges were calculated using the minimum area method and averaged 253 m 2 (range, 23—486 m 2 ). The longest known movement during a 24 hr period was 45 m (in 14 hr 30 min). Most movements were initiated in late afternoon and early evening. Most periods of activity were of less than 12 hr duration. Periods of inactivity ranged from a few minutes to over 14 days. Snakes displaced distances of 150, 400, and 800 m from where captured exhibited no homing ability.