Exploring Neurophysiological and Behavioral Evidence of Sleep in the Carpet Python, Morelia spilota (Serpentes, Pythonidae)

• Grant number: 24/21273-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: August 20, 2025
• End date: August 19, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Physiology of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Thaís Barreto Guedes da Costa
• Grantee: Gabriel Spanghero Vicente Ferreira
• Supervisor: Libourel
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Centre De Recherche En Neurosciences De Lyon, France
• Associated to the scholarship: 22/14451-3 - Ecology and evolution of sleep in snakes, BP.DR

Abstract

Sleep is a fundamental state observed in the animal kingdom and characterized by distinct physiological and behavioral changes. Despite the dangers associated with sleep (e.g., predation), the benefits, such as improved cognitive function and physical performance, outweigh the risks. Defining sleep in snakes is particularly challenging because traditional sleep interpretations are established mostly on mammalian species, which may not apply to reptiles. The few studies done so far on neurophysiological of reptiles have shown a varied sleep pattern, which leaded to inconclusive results. Despite the close evolutionary relationship with lizards, snakes have unique life-history traits that may influence their sleep and differ it from what is known from other reptile groups. Existing studies on snake sleep are extremely limited, with only one individual snake formally studied to date. This project aims to fill the gap regarding sleep in reptiles by systematically evaluating both neurophysiological and behavioral aspects of sleep in snakes, using Morelia spilota as the focal species. We seek to distinguish the characteristics of the sleep-like state from quiet and active wake states in snakes, and eventually to identify sub sleep states, by exploring neurological, physiological, and behavioral components. By comparing snake sleep characteristics with those of other vertebrates, this study aims to contribute to the broader understanding of sleep evolution, particularly the origin of sleep state (Slow wave sleep and REM Sleep), providing insights into the unique physiological and ecological aspects of sleep in reptiles.