A Study Of Factors Affecting Scale Roughness In The Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox)
Graduation Semester and Year
2006
Language
English
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Biology
Department
Biology
First Advisor
Howard Arnott
Abstract
Reptilian scales are very complex with patterns across their surface like a human fingerprint. These patterns are species specific, but there has been no way to quantify differences. A new technique using the confocal microscope allows measurement of the roughness of a surface. The roughness of the scales of Crotalus atrox were measured and compared with factors such as sex, age, clade, and various environmental variables to determine if this technique may be useful in determining species. The results found that the roughness of a scale decreased as the snake aged, and was significantly different between the two clades; the Eastern clade being much rougher. When these factors were controlled in the environmental factor analysis, it was found that higher temperature seasonality and higher maximum temperature in the warmest month caused an increase in scale roughness.
Disciplines
Biology | Life Sciences
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Skach, Amber Gail, "A Study Of Factors Affecting Scale Roughness In The Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox)" (2006). Biology Theses. 36.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/biology_theses/36
Comments
Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington