Extreme adaptability to light, in the round pupil of the snake spalerosophis

Yehudah L. Werner*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

In the colubrid snake Spalerosophis diadema diffordi from the Negev desert, Israel, the area of the circular pupil when dark adapted is 17-21 times greater than when adapted to 67,500 lx. This range of adaptability greatly exceeds that found in four other colubrid species with round pupils, and resembles that found in the vertical pupil of the lizard Hophdactylus. Ecologically, Spalerosophis is diurnal in winter but nocturnal or crepuscular in the warm season. Taxonomically, the mobile pupil may augment the disputed distinction between the similar genera Spalerosophis and Coluber.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1159-1160,IN3-IN4,1161-1164
JournalVision Research
Volume10
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1970

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Extreme adaptability to light, in the round pupil of the snake spalerosophis'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this