Diet of a threatened rattlesnake (eastern massasauga) revealed by DNA metabarcoding.

ABSTRACT: Characterizing the diet of imperiled species using minimally invasive methods is crucial to understanding their ecology and conservation requirements. Here, we apply a DNA metabarcoding approach to study the diet of the eastern massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus), a Federally Threatened snake found throughout the Great Lakes region. Eighty-three fecal samples collected across 10 different massasauga populations located in Michigan, USA, were sequenced, with 70 samples containing prey DNA. We used universal metazoan primers and developed a host-specific oligonucleotide blocker to characterize their diet. We identified at least 12 different prey species, with eastern massasaugas exhibiting opportunistic feeding and a strong preference towards small mammals. Meadow voles (M

SUBMITTER: Swinehart A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10131807 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature