Abstract

Ecomorphological studies are aimed to find out the relation between the morphology of organisms and their ecology. Many studies on reptile scale microornamentation indicate that it has important functional values. In this study microornamentation and light reflection of scales' surface among six viperid and two colubrid snake species in relation to their habitat were examined. To compare microornamentation and light reflection analyses, skin specimens were prepared and analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and FluoVision Imaging System and spectrometer, respectively. The results showed that snake species inhabiting similar habitats had different microornamentation and vice versa. Likely the scale microstructures are more influenced by phylogenetic relationships than by the environment. In examining the scales' reflection, different species and different body parts reflect various wavelengths of visible light, which relates to ecological condition of them.