Ecology of Australian Elapid Snakes of the Genera Furina and Glyphodon
- 30 April 1981
- journal article
- research article
- Published by JSTOR in Journal of Herpetology
- Vol. 15 (2), 219-224
- https://doi.org/10.2307/1563384
Abstract
The closely-related snake genera Furina and Glyphodon contain small to medium sized nocturnal species. Dissection of 472 specimens provided data on food habits, body sizes, clutch sizes, growth rates and seasonal schedules of reproduction. All 70 prey items recorded were scincid lizards; Furina spp. take small diurnal skinks (especially Lampropholis); Glyphodon take larger skinks (especially Sphenomorphus). Females attain larger body sizes than males in Furina spp. Clutch sizes average 3-4 in Furina, 6-10 in Glyphodon. Female reproductive cycles are strongly seasonal in temperate-zone F. diadema but aseasonal in tropical Furina. Both sexes of F. diadema attain sexual maturity in the year following their birth.This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit:
- Venomous Snakes in Cold Climates: Ecology of the Australian Genus Drysdalia (Serpentes: Elapidae)Ichthyology & Herpetology, 1981
- Reproduction, Feeding and Growth in the Australian Burrowing Snake Vermicella annulataJournal of Herpetology, 1980
- Reproduction in Australian elapid snakes II. Female reproductive cyclesAustralian Journal of Zoology, 1977