title: Altered behavior of neonatal northern watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon) exposed to maternally transferred mercury.
abstract: Little is known about effects of maternally transferred contaminants in snakes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate sublethal effects of maternally transferred mercury (Hg) on neonatal northern watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon). We captured 31 gravid females along a historically Hg-contaminated river. Following birth, we measured litter Hg concentrations and assessed locomotor performance, foraging ability (i.e., number of prey eaten, latency to first strike, strike efficiency, and handling time), and learning (i.e., change in foraging measures over time) in their offspring (n = 609). Mercury concentrations in offspring negatively correlated with motivation to feed and strike efficiency. Over time, strike efficiency and latency to strike decreased for all snakes in the study. However, offspring from contaminated areas maintained consistently lower efficiencies than reference individuals. This study is the first to examine sublethal behavioral effects of maternally transferred contaminants in snakes and suggests that maternally transferred Hg negatively affects offspring behavior.
authors: Department of Fish & Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 100 Cheatham Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA. stephyc8@vt.edu
authors: Stephanie Y
authors: SY
authors: Chin
authors: John D
authors: JD
authors: Willson
authors: Daniel A
authors: DA
authors: Cristol
authors: David V V
authors: DV
authors: Drewett
authors: William A
authors: WA
authors: Hopkins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D017812:Colubridae / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D008628:Mercury / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury