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February 27, 2020

Head of a Cope’s vine snake (Oxybelis brevirostris)

Cope’s vine snakes (Oxybelis brevirostris) feed on lizards and frogs. In a National Science Foundation-supported study, researchers found that with the loss of amphibians, the body condition of these snakes decreased and became thinner, and they had less energy reserves.

[Research supported by National Science Foundation grant DEB 0717741, DEB 1702635, DBI 1611692, DEB 0645875, IOS 0429223 and IOS 0519458.]

Learn more about this research in the NSF infographic Tracking rare snakes before they disappear; or in the Michigan State University news story The curious case of the disappearing snakes. (Date image taken: unknown; date originally posted to NSF Multimedia Gallery: Feb. 27, 2020)

Credit: Photograph by Kevin Enge


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