The Effect of Ingestive Status on the Thermoregulatory Behavior of Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis and Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis

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Abstract
Subspecies (2) of garter snakes, T. s. sirtalis from New Jersey [USA] and T. s. parietalis from Manitoba [Canada] were examined for mean preferred temperature (MPT) in an artificial gradient. Analysis of variance failed to reveal any significant pattern of diurnal or nocturnal fluctuations in MPT. No significant differences were noted in the MPT''s of starved T. s. parietalis and T. s. sirtalis, although the Manitoba subspecies did select slightly lower temperatures in the gradient than the New Jersey variety. Following feeding, a significant (P < 0.025) thermophilic response was revealed by analysis of variance in specimens of T. s. parietalis. The benefits of elevated body temperature to recently fed reptiles are discussed, and a hypothesis is presented to explain the failure to find a similar thermophilic response to feeding in T. s. sirtalis.