Diet of Crotalus lepidus klauberi (Banded Rock Rattlesnake)

Journal of Herpetology
By: , and 

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Abstract

We describe the diet of Crotalus lepidus klauberi (Banded Rock Rattlesnake) using samples collected in the field and from museum specimens, as well as several records from unpublished reports. Most records (approximately 91%) were from the northern Sierra Madrean Archipelago. Diet consisted of 55.4% lizards, 28.3% scolopendromorph centipedes, 13.8% mammals, 1.9% birds, and 0.6% snakes. Sceloporus spp. comprised 92.4% of lizards. Extrapolation suggests that Sceloporus jarrovii represents 82.3% of lizard records. Diet was independent of geographic distribution (mountain range), sex, source of sample (stomach vs. intestine/feces), and age class. However, predator snout–vent length differed significantly among prey types; snakes that ate birds were longest, followed in turn by those that ate mammals, lizards, and centipedes. Collection date also differed significantly among prey classes; the mean date for centipede records was later than the mean date for squamate, bird, or mammal records. We found no difference in the elevation of collection sites among prey classes.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Diet of Crotalus lepidus klauberi (Banded Rock Rattlesnake)
Series title Journal of Herpetology
DOI 10.1670/0022-1511(2002)036[0589:DOCLKB]2.0.CO;2
Volume 36
Issue 4
Year Published 2002
Language English
Publisher Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
Description 9 p.
First page 589
Last page 597
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