Social networks reveal sex- and age-patterned social structure in Butler’s Gartersnakes

Sex- and age-based social structures have been well-documented in animals with visible aggregations. However, very little is known about the social structures of snakes. This is most likely because snakes are often considered non-social animals and are particularly difficult to observe in the wild. Here, we show that wild Butler’s Gartersnakes have an age and sex assorted social structure similar to more commonly studied social animals. To demonstrate this, we use data from a 12-year capture-mark-recapture study to identify social interactions using social network analyses. We find that the social structures of Butler’s Gartersnakes comprise sex- and age-assorted intra-species communities with older females often central and age segregation partially due to patterns of study site use. In addition, we find that females tended to increase in sociability as they aged while the opposite occurred in males. We also present evidence that social interaction may provide fitness benefits, where s...