Organochlorine levels in viperine snake Natrix maura carcasses from the ebro delta (NE Spain): Sexual and size-related differences

Organochlorine compounds (PCBs, DDTs and HCB) in carcasses from a population of the Viperine Snake (Natrix maura) living in the Ebro Delta were analyzed. This is a wetland area on the Mediterranean coast where the natural ecosystem has been partially substituted by rice fields. High levels of pollutants (mainly DDTs and PCBs) have been detected in several species living in this area, due to the production of these compounds by a former industrial activity upstream as well as agricultural activity in the Delta. Organochlorines were analyzed in adult males and females, and in immature snakes. DDTs (mainly p,p′-DDE) were the most abundant pollutant present. The DDT/PCB ratio was higher than expected, which is consistent with the position of the Viperine Snake in the trophic web as well as the type of prey consumed. Immature snakes had more organochlorines than adults. However, the broad range of concentrations shown by immature snakes, suggested that part of the organochlorine load is transferred from gravid females to their eggs. In adults, organochlorine concentrations increased with carcass weight in both males and females. This increase was higher in males since females lost contaminants through fat investment during vitellogenesis. Seasonally, PCBs and DDTs levels increased in spring when snakes showed higher feeding activity, whereas higher levels of HCB were present at the end of summer, when the river input increased. Furthermore, HCB does not seem to biomagnify well across the trophic chain. Organochlorine concentrations in Viperine Snake carcasses were high since: 1) the dry tissue had less than 5% of fat, and 2) snakes were caught many years after the DDT ban, supporting the fact that cleaning of the ecosystem does not occur easily. These results indicate that snakes are adequate as indicators of the contamination in natural ecosystems but sex and body size of the samples should be taken into account for interpretation of results.     

游蛇科4种的核型比较

以骨髓细胞直接制备染色体标本，分析了游蛇属（Ｎａｏｔｒｉｘ）３种和链蛇属（Ｄｉｎｏｄｏｎ）１种蛇的核型．草游蛇（Ｎ．ｓｔｏｌａｔａ）２ｎ＝３６，１８（１５Ｍ＋１ＳＴ＋２Ｔ）·１８ｍ（♀）．渔游蛇（Ｎ．Ｐｉｓｃａｔｏｒ）２ｎ＝４０，１６（１０Ｍ＋１ＳＭ＋３ＳＴ＋２Ｔ）·２４ｍ（♀）．乌游蛇（Ｎ．ｐ．ｐｅｒｃａｒｉｎａｔａ）２ｎ＝４０，１８（８Ｍ十２ＳＭ＋８Ｔ）·２２ｍ（♂）．赤链蛇（Ｄ．ｒｕｆｏｚｏｎａｔｕｍ）２ｎ＝４６，２０（１Ｍ＋３ＳＭ＋１６Ｔ）·２６ｍ（♀）．草游蛇和渔游蛇的Ｎｏｓ，赤链蛇的Ｎｏ３为ＺＺ／ＺＷ型性染色体．草游蛇Ｚ染色体为Ｍ型，Ｗ染色体为ＳＴ型；渔游蛇Ｚ为ＳＭ型，Ｗ也是ＳＴ型；赤链蛇Ｚ为Ｍ型，Ｗ为ＳＭ型．三者Ｚ均略大于Ｗ．草游蛇和渔游蛇Ｎｏ４长臂末端有时可见随体．对游蛇属、链蛇属以及游蛇亚科（Ｃｏｌｕｂｒｉｎａｅ）已知各属种的核型进行了比较和讨论．     

渔游蛇精子的超微结构

扫描电镜观察表明,渔游蛇（Ｎａｔｒｉｘ Ｐｉｓｃａｔｅｒ）精子总长度约１１０μｍ,分为头和尾两部分;头部呈前稍尖的细长圆柱形,略变曲,约长８．５μｍ,直径以经约０．６μｍ。尾部又分４段：颈段、中段、主段和末段;其与从不同之处是中段较长,约７３μｍ,占精子总长度的２／３多;线料体型鞘由近５００圈超过５０００个线粒体构成;透射电镜揭示了头部顶体体覆疬于核前约１／２;尾部颈段的结构较复杂,包括连接片的踝