WATER LOSS IN SNAKES - INTERSPECIFIC AND INTRASPECIFIC VARIABILITY

1. 1. Water loss in eight species of snakes was studied in flowing-air desiccation system, and also by vivo determination of triated water flux. 2. 2. Rate of water loss was proportional to surface area in a series of Elaphe climacophora. 3. 3. Rates of water correlate with habitat aridity, and varied in a hundredfold range. 4. 4. Differences in activity were more important than individual variation or changes in air flow rate in determining water loss rate. 5. 5. Water loss rate through the skin of snakes immersed in water, measured by tritiated water flux, was greater than water loss rate in dry air, and increased with temperature (Q10 = 2·2). © 1968.