Safe from sunburn: The divergent diel pattern of a Hydrophis sea snake.

ABSTRACT: Diel activity patterns are an important aspect of wildlife ecology and evolution and provide valuable information for conservation and monitoring, yet for many species, activity patterns remain unstudied and may be presumed to mirror related taxa. Here, we describe the distinct diel patterns of an endemic population of venomous sea snakes Hydrophis platurus xanthos inhabiting a narrow range (circa 320 km²) in Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica. To investigate, we conducted a systematic visual survey over five 24-h cycles and evaluated 339 h of previously obtained sighting data from different studies spanning a decade. While sporadic diurnal surfacing does occur, mostly for respiration, our observations revealed marked crepuscular peaks with regular surfacing through the night. We al

SUBMITTER: Bessesen B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8796931 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature