Aspects of the ecology of the spotted blindsnake,Typhlops punctatus punctatus in Port‐Harcourt,Nigeria |
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| Authors: | Godfrey C. Akani Luca Luiselli Edem A. Eniang Charity C. Amuzie Nwabueze Ebere |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Applied and Environmental Biology, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, P.M.B 5080 Port Harcourt (Rivers State), Nigeria;2. F.I.Z.V. (Ecology) and Centre of Environmental Studies DEMETRA s.r.l., Via Olona 7, I‐00198 Rome, Italy;3. Department of Forestry and Wildlife, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Uyo, P.M.B 1017 Uyo (Akwa Ibom State), Nigeria |
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| Abstract: | The ecology of the blindsnake, Typhlops punctatus punctatus in five selected study plots in the River Niger Delta (Port Harcourt, Nigeria) was investigated. A total of 207 specimens were collected, 43% occurring under stones, 30% under leaf litter and 15% under logs. The number of snakes found under cover objects was significantly influenced by the number of cover objects lifted up. GLM analysis revealed that there was no difference in terms of number of snakes observed, once the relative effect of the different number of cover objects lifted up was taken into account, either among study plots or among types of cover objects. These snakes appeared to have a strong affinity for loamy soils, with moisture content of 8–18%, high organic matter (1–6%) and slightly acid pH of 5.4–6.9. Stomach content analysis revealed that these snakes fed mainly upon ants and termites. A case of predation by the toad Bufo maculatus on a juvenile blindsnake was also reported. |
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| Keywords: | Africa environmental factors food habitat subterranean habitat Typhlopidae |
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