Effect of Energy Input on Variation in Clutch Size and Offspring Size in a Viviparous Reptile

• Published in: Functional ecology Vol. 6; no. 4; pp. 382 - 385
• Main Authors: Seigel, R. A., Ford, N. B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford British Ecological Association 01-01-1992; Blackwell Science
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal vivipary; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Autoecology; Biological and medical sciences; Clutch size; Correlations; Diet; Ecological genetics; Evolution; Frogs; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Reptilia. Amphibia; Snakes; Statistical variance; Thamnophis marcianus; Vertebrata; Wetland ecology; USA, Texas; Vertebrata; Litter size; Trophic factor; Female; Reptilia; Clutch size; Ophidia
• ISSN: 0269-8463; 1365-2435
• DOI: 10.2307/2389275

1. We tested the effect of manipulating food intake on variance in clutch size and offspring size in a viviparous snake (Thamnophis marcianus). 2. We found that among-female variance in clutch size and offspring size was unaffected by changing food intake, whereas within-female variance in offspring size was higher in females receiving more food. 3. Our data support field studies of snakes which show that among-female variance in clutch size is unaffected by changing environmental conditions. Whether the higher levels of within-female variance in offspring size are adaptive is not known.