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1 September 2008 Body Size and Growth in the Bullsnake (Pituophis catenifer sayi) in the Nebraska Sandhills
John B. Iverson, Cameron A. Young, Thomas S. Akre
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Abstract

Body size and growth in Bullsnakes (Pituophis catenifer sayi) in the western Nebraska Sandhills were studied from 1987 to 1999. Body size of females was not significantly different from that of males, although the largest individuals were males. Based on eggs hatched in captivity, and size class and recapture data in the field, Nebraska Bullsnakes hatch at about 33 cm snout–vent length (SVL), grow about 32 cm SVL in their first year, and reach an average adult size of 108 cm SVL. Comparisons of these data with those in the literature suggest that hatchling size, adult size, and juvenile growth rate generally decrease with increasing latitude and longitude; however, these conclusions are limited by the dearth of data from southern populations. Nevertheless, with few exceptions, possibly the result of incomplete sampling, these patterns are also generally reflected across North American Pituophis populations.

John B. Iverson, Cameron A. Young, and Thomas S. Akre "Body Size and Growth in the Bullsnake (Pituophis catenifer sayi) in the Nebraska Sandhills," Journal of Herpetology 42(3), 501-507, (1 September 2008). https://doi.org/10.1670/07-030.1
Accepted: 1 January 2008; Published: 1 September 2008
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