Trace element levels in pine snake hatchlings: Tissue and temporal differences

  • Joanna Burger
Article
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Abstract

Trace element levels have seldom been examined in reptiles, although some large snakes are high on the trophic level pyramid. Lead, cadmium, mercury, selenium, chromium and manganese levels were examined in skin and whole body tissue of pine snakes (Pituophis melanoleucus) from the New Jersey Pine Barrens between 1985–1990. Depending on the element, variations in levels were primarily explained by year and tissue, and not by sex or location. There were significantly higher levels of lead, mercury, and chromium in the skin compared to the whole body tissue, suggesting that the frequent shedding of skin can act as a method of toxic metal excretion by snakes. Manganese and selenium levels were significantly higher in the body compared to the skin.

Keywords

Waste Water Mercury Chromium Cadmium Manganese 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag New York Inc. 1992

Authors and Affiliations

  • Joanna Burger
    • 1
  1. 1.Biological SciencesRutgers University, and Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences InstitutePiscatawayUSA

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