title: Neonate plains garter snakes (Thamnophis radix) are attracted to conspecific skin extracts.
abstract: Several species of snakes aggregate in areas previously marked by conspecifics. However, species differences and sources of such chemical signals have received little attention. Methylene chloride-soluble substances from shed epidermis of adult plains garter snakes attracted neonate conspecifics, whereas similar extracts from a congener and a viperid did not. The functional significance of such conspecific aggregation may relate to location of hibernacula, foraging areas, osmoregulation, or predation avoidance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, State University of New York, Brooklyn 11203.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Graves
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Halpern
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D005260:Female; D008055:Lipids / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D010675:Pheromones / Q000502:physiology*; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena; D012911:Snakes / Q000502:physiology*; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D014020:Tissue Extracts / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D010675:Pheromones; D014020:Tissue Extracts