Effects of Season and Sex on Some Blood Parameters of Snake Saw Scaled Viper Echis carinatus at Sennar State, Sudan

Background and Objective: Snakes represent large group of reptiles and it has some values, the mean value of the snakes is that they form part of the environment and help preserve the balance of the nature, the snake eat many insects and rodents such as mice and rats. Their skins are used for making many leather products and their venom has several uses in medicine and biological research. The physiological mechanisms and behaviours of the snake show adaptability to environments and assist its survival. The study aimed to investigate some morphological and physiological parameters of saw scaled viper Echis carinatus for both males and females within the seasons of two years, 2008 and 2009. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out at Suki locality in Sinnar State Central Sudan. Statistical analyses were carried out for 30 snakes (15 males and 15 females), ANOVA was used to test the overall significance of the means for sex and seasonal effects. The bi-factorial design was used to test the effects of sex and season as well as their interactions. Results: The morphological aspects males and females looked the same except that males were longer and heavier in summer but the opposite was true in winter. All blood parameters, except hormones, showed a significant effect of season only, where haemoglobin levels were significantly higher in summer than in winter. Same observations were obtained for blood metabolites and minerals although hormones were not affected. Conclusion: The saw-scaled viper Echis carinatus blood heamatology, metabolites and minerals were affected by season as a poikilothermic animal where their activities follow ambient temperature. Hormone levels would follow diurnal changes.