Bobby Kwait holding an eastern copperhead snake in preparation for snake fungal disease sample collection. Photo: Tyler Christensen
Ph.D. Candidates Tyler Christensen and Bobby Kwait swab an eastern copperhead snake for molecular-based detection of snake fungal disease. Photo: Morgan Mark.
Morgan Mark (SEBS’22), Tyler Christensen (Ph.D. Candidate) and Bobby Kwait (Ph.D. Candidate)—all members of assistant professor Brooke Maslo’s lab—were recently awarded funding from the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV) for their project examining the seasonal dynamics of snake fungal disease in free-ranging eastern copperheads.
Morgan Mark holding an eastern copperhead snake in preparation for SFD sample collection. Photo: Tyler Christensen
Snake fungal disease (SFD) is a recently discovered fungal pathogen, Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola, that is impacting snake populations in eastern North America. Little is known about SFD pathology or ecology, primarily because repeated captures of wild snakes is difficult and SFD infection doesn’t always exhibit visible clinical signs.
Mark, Christensen and Kwait leveraged their collective expertise in wildlife disease, snake biology and molecular ecology to radio-track eastern copperheads (a species of special concern in New Jersey) and repeatedly sample the same individuals throughout the active season for SFD. They are quantifying pathogen prevalence and loads using quantitative PCR methods to document seasonal patterns in SFD ecology to inform management efforts intended to mitigate population-level impacts. The research is the basis of Mark’s thesis for the George H. Cook Scholars Program.
