Income breeding allows an aquatic snake Seminatrix pygaea to reproduce normally following prolonged drought-induced aestivation.

摘要: 1. Capital breeding is an ideal reproductive strategy for many ectotherms because it provides a disassociation between feeding and reproduction, necessary requirement animals that become anorexic during pregnancy. Among ectotherms, some viviparous snakes (e.g. Viperidae) exemplify the capital species (i) do not feed pregnancy due to behavioural conflicts reproduction foraging, (ii) take more than one season accumulate sufficient energetic stores reproduction. 2. Isolated wetlands often exhibit extreme annual fluctuations in environmental conditions with prolonged droughts periodically leaving completely dry devoid of prey. Following droughts, however, can be extremely productive, rendering prey resources virtually unlimited species. 3. This study examines drought survival ecology small aquatic snake Seminatrix pygaea (Cope) isolated wetland. are atypical from most sympatric their body size, reliance on prey, high rates evaporative water loss make them ill-suited overland movement, they may subject costs typically associated 4. We hypothesized S. would survive periodic multiyear by aestivating within dried wetland, heretofore undocumented snakes. Further, we if rely 'typical' strategies 'adaptive anorexia' breeding, output reduced first wet year following drought. 5. By encircling 10-ha wetland continuous drift fence before refilled were able demonstrate present prior onset spring rains 2003. Our results suggest capable surviving 6. Despite having presumably depleted energy reserves drought, reproduced same frequency fecundity refilling as pre-drought years. 7. The ability rebound rapidly stresses part ecology. readily throughout consequently translate abundances into through income breeding.