Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List


DissertationOSUSmileyWalters_FINAL.pdf (1.49 MB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Interactions between Pigmy Rattlesnakes (Sistrurus miliarius) and a Suite of Prey Species: A Study of Prey Behavior and Variable Venom Toxicity

Smiley-Walters, Sarah Ann
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5709-4859
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1483455551984898

Abstract Details

2017, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology.
Interactions between predators and prey are widespread in nature but the ecological and evolutionary factors that shape these interactions are poorly understood. In my dissertation, I use pigmy rattlesnakes (Sistrurus miliarius) and their prey as a system in which to examine several aspects of this species interaction where different ecological and evolutionary factors may be shaping variation in adaptive traits. In Chapter 1, I review factors affecting predator-prey interactions and explain why the pigmy rattlesnake system is valuable for addressing important research questions. In Chapter 2, I present research on the behavioral component of this interaction, demonstrating that native cotton mice do not change their foraging behavior in the presence of a sit-and-wait rattlesnake predator. In Chapter 3, I explore the toxicity of venom to native prey versus non-native "models" to determine to what extent non-native species are representative of prey in the same broad taxonomic group. I show that native prey have higher resistance to venom than non-natives and encourage the use of native prey in future toxicity work. In Chapter 4, I use native treefrog prey from two different populations in Florida and venom from snakes in the same populations to see if there is a signal of local adaptation present in these populations. I show that detection of a signal of local adaptation depends on the measure of venom function used: evidence for local adaptation was observed in the time to death measure of mortality but not in the 24 hour mortality measure. In Chapter 5, I look at the function of venom at a smaller scale by exploring the amount of functional variation present across and within populations of snakes using a lizard model prey. I found the individual component of venom toxicity to be larger than the population-level differences that have been the focus of previous research. Overall, this dissertation demonstrates that rattlesnake venom function differs at both the individual and population scale and that toxicity is relative, depending on the specific prey species tested.
H. Lisle Gibbs, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Ian Hamilton, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Thomas Hetherington, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Stuart Ludsin, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
132 p.
Animals; Behavioral Sciences; Biology; Ecology; Evolution and Development; Toxicology; Zoology
predator-prey; venomous snakes; LD50; Peromyscus gossypinus; Hyla squirella; Anolis sagrei; adaptive traits; local adaptation; giving-up density; rodent foraging; individual variation

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Smiley-Walters, S. A. (2017). Interactions between Pigmy Rattlesnakes (Sistrurus miliarius) and a Suite of Prey Species: A Study of Prey Behavior and Variable Venom Toxicity [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1483455551984898

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Smiley-Walters, Sarah. Interactions between Pigmy Rattlesnakes (Sistrurus miliarius) and a Suite of Prey Species: A Study of Prey Behavior and Variable Venom Toxicity. 2017. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1483455551984898.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Smiley-Walters, Sarah. "Interactions between Pigmy Rattlesnakes (Sistrurus miliarius) and a Suite of Prey Species: A Study of Prey Behavior and Variable Venom Toxicity." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1483455551984898

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1483455551984898
694
© 2017, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.