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Growth modelling and age in a wild population of Elaphe quatuorlineata from Central Italy

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  • Ernesto Filippi,
  • Gianpaolo Montinaro,
  • Jairo Alfonso Mendoza-Roldan,
  • Domenico Otranto
Ernesto Filippi
Ministero dell'ambiente e della sicurezza energetica
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/a_h-20339

Published 2026-10-03

Keywords

  • Elaphe quatuorlineata,
  • Capture-mark-recapture,
  • Sexual size dimorphism,
  • Citizen science,
  • Longevity,
  • Colubridae
    • ...More
    Less

How to Cite

Filippi, E., Montinaro, G., Mendoza-Roldan, J. A., & Otranto, D. (2026). Growth modelling and age in a wild population of Elaphe quatuorlineata from Central Italy. Acta Herpetologica. https://doi.org/10.36253/a_h-20339

Copyright (c) 2026 Ernesto Filippi, Gianpaolo Montinaro, Jairo Alfonso Mendoza-Roldan, Domenico Otranto

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

Understanding age and growth patterns in wild snake populations is essential for conservation and life-history studies, yet empirical field data remain scarce due to the elusive nature of these animals. Here, we present a 15-year longitudinal study (2010–2025) characterizing the ontogenetic trajectories and demographic structure of the four-lined snake (Elaphe quatuorlineata) in a Mediterranean ecosystem. This study included morphometric data from 649 temporarily captured individuals (416 males, 233 females) assessed during a traditional cultural practice in Cocullo, Abruzzo. Using capture-mark-recapture techniques via PIT tagging and size-based age estimations, we modelled sex-specific growth dynamics utilizing the von Bertalanffy equation. Results demonstrated a clear reversed sexual size dimorphism (RSD). Although males exhibited a higher initial growth coefficient (k = 0.26) than females (k = 0.19), reaching larger sizes earlier in life, females ultimately achieved a significantly greater asymptotic snout-vent length (150.17 cm vs. 136.07 cm). Importantly, this study documented a record total body length of 195 cm for a female. Furthermore, size-derived proxy estimations suggest a potentially longer maximum lifespan for females (~27 years) compared to males (~19 years), which may reflect differential behavioral risks or pre-maturational reproductive trade-offs. Hence, this study provides the first heuristic growth baseline for a free-ranging population of E. quatuorlineata, delivering critical ecological insights necessary to guide targeted conservation and management strategies for this vulnerable Mediterranean predator.

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