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Ecology of Smooth Snake ( Coronella austriaca Laur.) in Belarus

2011; Volume: 7; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.30906/1026-2296-2000-7-2-135-138

2713-1467

S. M. Drobenkov,

Ecology and biodiversity studies

In Belarus’ the smooth snakes ( Coronella austriaca ) is sporadically distributed, mainly along the ecotones of xerophytous biotopes, in dry edges of pine-forests and parvifoliate forest. It is a specialized saurophage feeding on viviparous lizard ( Lacerta vivipara ), sand lizard ( L. agilis ), and slow worm ( A. fragilis ). Cannibalism (10.9%) is supposed to play an important role in regulation of the population number in deficiency of trophic resources. Broader distribution of this species is limited by a narrow spectrum of habitats, trophic specialization, and conservative use of the terrritory. Stable, though very low, number of population groups of smooth snake is regulated by a high level reproductive gain.