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Terrestrial movements of the red-bellied mudsnake (Farancia abacura) and rainbow snake (F. erytrogramma)

Formally Refereed

Abstract

Red-bellied Mudsnakes (Farancia abacura; Fig. 1A) and Rainbow Snakes (Farancia erytrogramma; Fig. 1B) are relatively large species with geographic distributions restricted to the southeastern United States. Both species are highly associated with aquatic habitats, to the extent that at least one, the Red-bellied Mudsnake, has been described as "fully aquatic" (Lutterschmidt et al. 2006). Adults of both species have highly specialized diets: Red-bellied Mudsnakes feed primarily on aquatic, elongate, eel-like salamanders (Sirens [Siren spp., Pseudobranchus spp.] and Amphiumas [Amphiuma spp.]), while adult Rainbow Snakes feed almost exclusively on a stream-dwelling catadromous fish, the American Eel (Anguillla rostrata; Neill 1964).

Keywords

Red-bellied Mudsnake, Farancia abacura, Rainbow Snake, Farancia erytrogramma, terrestrial movements, habitat

Citation

Steen, David A.; Stevenson, Dirk J.; Beane, Jeffrey C.; Willson, John D.; Aresco, Matthew J.; Godwin, James C.; Graham, Sean P.; Smith, Lora L.; Howze, Jennifer M.; Rudolph, D. Craig; Pierce, Josh B.; Lee, James R.; Gregory, Beau B.; Jensen, John; Stiles, Sierra H.; Stiles, James A.; Nazdrowicz, Nathan H.; Guyer, Craig. 2013. Terrestrial movements of the red-bellied mudsnake (Farancia abacura) and rainbow snake (F. erytrogramma). Herpetological Review 44(2): 208-213.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/45868