ABSTRACT
Preserved specimens in natural history museums are a rich source of ecological information about topics such as dietary habits, reproductive output, and sexual dimorphism. Measurement and dissection of thousands of such preserved specimens provided a uniquely comprehensive database on the ecology of snakes in Australia. That database revealed a wide range of general patterns, including a primary role for lizards and frogs as prey of Australian snakes, and a lack of predation on invertebrates. Many traits of a snake species reflect the way it captures its food, with ambush-foragers like Death Adders tending to be heavy-bodied and to show slow rates of growth and reproduction. In contrast, slender-bodied active foragers like Whipsnakes grow fast and reproduce often.
