title: Following of conspecific and avoidance of predator chemical cues by pine snakes (Pituophis melanoleucus).
abstract: The ability of hatchling pine snakes (Pituophis melanoleucus) to follow or avoid the chemical trails of conspecifics and a king snake (Lampropeltis getulus) on paper substrates was investigated inY-maze experiments. Hatchlings entered the arm with the adult conspecific trail and avoided the arm containing the king snake trail at a frequency much greater than that due to chance. The data support the hypotheses that pine snakes follow the chemical trails of adult conspecifics and avoid the chemical trails of a predator.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Nelson Biological Laboratory, 08855-1059, Piscataway, New Jersey.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burger