Programme Coordinator – Sergey Ryabov, Moscow Zoo, Russia
Dinodon snakes inhabit vast territories in Asia including East and South China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Burma, East India, Nepal, and Primorsky Krai of the Russian Federation. So far, Dinodon snakes have hardly been kept in captivity, despite the fact that they easily adapt to and reproduce in laboratory conditions, and have interesting biological features and attractive appearance.
The taxonomic status of the entire genus and some of the species of this genus has not yet been definitively determined, so the combined efforts of zoological and academic experts are needed for employing an integrated approach (collection of morphological, molecular, and reproductive biology data) to the revision of the taxonomy of the genus and certain Dinodon species. Special attention should be paid to the central species of the genus, the red-banded snake Dinodon rufozonatum as many dozens of amazing color variations have developed in the wild populations in the last 30-40 years. At the same time, increasing human pressure currently causes the dramatic decline in the species population.
The diversity of species and colour variations in Dinodon snakes suggest a need for a large amount of scientific and practical work and active international cooperation.
Goals of the programme:
1. To create the most complete collection of live snakes of the genus Dinodon sensu stricto, including both all species and the maximum possible number of natural colour variations. To study characteristics of the housing conditions, feeding behaviour, mating stimulation, and all aspects of reproductive biology of most species in the collection.
2. Based on the obtained data, to conduct a taxonomic revision of the entire group, single it out from the genus Lycodon as a separate genus, describe new Dinodon species, and publish the results of the research in peer-reviewed journals.
3. To study mechanisms and causes of natural variability and genetic abnormalities in the red-banded snake.
4. To establish self-reproducing populations of most species in laboratory conditions, primarily for the conservation of the gene pools of the Dinodon species and possible reintroduction of Dinodon snakes in the suitable habitats where these snakes are rare.
Objectives and methods
1) Adaptation of the snakes to laboratory conditions (in the absence of any data and developed methods), treatment against internal and external parasites and possible diseases and determination of optimal housing conditions for each species;
2) Daily registration of data on each individual (data on feeding, ecdysis, mating, changes of temperature, humidity and duration of daylight, health problems, vitamin therapy, weighing, etc.) for establishing a database on the species under the study;
3) Selection of optimal housing and feeding methods and creation of the diverse food base;
4) Life cycle modelling for each species, based on the geographical latitude and climatic features of the species habitat and selection of methods stimulating breeding of the species under laboratory conditions;
5) Detailed study of reproductive biology of each species (optimal temperatures for spermatogenesis and oogenesis, duration of dry and cool period for stimulation of mating, length of copulation and gestation, selection of optimal egg incubation regimes, measuring the length and weight of the eggs and females, monitoring egg growth processes, study of incubation duration and probability of the repeated egg laying, selection of initial diet, developing methods of neonate rearing, determination of the age of sexual maturity);
6) Photo recording of all stages of the work;
7) Integration of the data on the studied group of species, clarification of the taxonomic status of indeterminate snake forms, involvement in the description of new forms, publication of scientific papers;
8) Organizing temporary public exhibitions with the demonstration of all available Dinodon species and their natural colour variations, especially the snakes that were acclimatized or bred for the first time in the world practice;
9) Active promotion of the work under the programme among EARAZA members.