My students and I are fascinated by many aspects of the biology of rattlesnakes. We have tracked free-ranging individuals of several species with the aid of radiotelemetry to better understand their behavior and ecology. Additional field work has explored the factors that influence snake activity and reproduction, including precipitation and moonlight. In the lab, we’ve examined social, predatory, defensive, and exploratory behaviors. Our work with museum specimens of rattlesnakes and helodermatid lizards has benefited our understanding of diet and its relationship to venom variation, the influence of the environment on morphology and coloration, the attributes of sexual dimorphism and sexual body component dimorphism, and differential reproductive investment among species. We’ve also sought answers to questions about how snakes use their venom, the factors that influence how much venom is deployed, the biological roles of venom, and the factors that influence venom composition. We have delved deep into the biochemical composition of venom, exploring taxonomic, geographic, and ontogenetic variation, as well as differential expression during venom regeneration.
Publications: WILL BE ADDED LATER