ONTOGENETIC SHIFT IN HEIGHT OF SLEEPING PERCHES OF COPE'S VINE SNAKE, OXYBELIS BREVIROSTRIS

摘要

In Omar Torrijos National Park, Cocle Province, Panama, we visually located Cope's vine snakes Oxybelis brevirostris at night along trails and streams. Of 203 O. brevirostris located, we documented height of perch for 185 individuals during March 2005-March 2007. All sleeping snakes encountered were on vegetation rather than on the ground. There was no significant difference in height. of perch between males (170.1 cm) and females (148.7 cm). There, however, was a significant positive relationship between snout-vent length and height of perch. Longer snakes perched on branches significantly more often than small snakes, which tended to perch on herbaceous leaves.