Trophic and maternal transfer of selenium in brown
house snakes (Lamprophis fuliginosus)
William A. Hopkins,a Brandon P. Staub,a Jennifer
A. Baionno,a Brian P. Jackson,a John H. Roe,b
and Neil B. Fordc
a Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia,
Aiken, SC 29802, USA
b Department of Biological Sciences, Indiana-Purdue University,
Fort Wayne, IN, 46805, USA
c Department of Biology, University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler,
TK, 75799, USA
Abstract
Excessive concentrations of dietary Se are toxic to oviparous vertebrates
(i.e., fish and birds) but little is known about its accumulation and
effects in reptiles. We exposed female brown house snakes, Lamprophis
fuliginosus, to 10 and 20 µg/g Se by injecting seleno-D,L-methionine
into their prey items and compared the snakes to individuals receiving
background levels of 1µg/g dietary Se. Snakes were fed meals equaling
25% of their body mass 2-3 times a month for 10 months. Snakes exposed
to excessive Se accumulated significant concentrations of Se in kidney,
liver, and ovarian tissue, but accumulation had no effect on female survival,
food consumption, growth, or body condition. Fewer females exposed to
excessive Se reproduced than females exposed to 1µg/g Se (67% vs.
91 %, respectively), but the reduction in reproductive activity was not
statistically significant. Total reproductive output of females did not
differ among the three dietary treatments. However, snakes exposed to
10 and 20 µg/g Se transferred significant concentrations of Se to
their eggs. In the 20 µg/g treatment, maternal transfer resulted
in Se concentrations in eggs that surpassed all suggested reproductive
toxicity thresholds for birds and fish. Further studies are needed to
more rigorously determine whether maternal transfer of Se in this snake
species affects the viability of developing embryos or the health of offspring.
Published by Elsevier Inc.
Keywords: Selenium; Reptiles; Snakes; Trophic transfer;
Maternal transfer
SREL Reprint #2775
Hopkins, W. A., B. P. Staub, J. A. Baionno, B. P. Jackson, J. H. Roe and N. B. Ford. 2004. Trophic and maternal transfer of selenium in brown house snakes (Lamprophis fuliginosus). Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 58:285-293.
