Predation by Corallus Annulatus (Boidae) on Rhynchonycteris Naso
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Cuad. herpetol., 2323 (2):(2): 9393–96,–96, 20092009 93 N OTA loured juvenile female C. annulatus (270 mm TL / 180 mm SVL) was dis- PREDATION BY CORALLUS covered in the roofing rafters at Caño ANNULATUS (BOIDAE) ON Palma’s boat dock (Fig. 1.0). Rhyncho- RHYNCHONYCTERIS NASO nycteris naso were regularly observed (EMBALLONURIDAE) IN A roosting beneath the dock in groups of LOWLAND TROPICAL WET between three and eight individuals (Fig FOREST, COSTA RICA 1.1) several nights before we found the snake. We discovered, without the need for regurgitation by palpation, typical TODD R. LEWIS shapes of bat morphology and deduced Westfield, 4 Worgret Road, Wareham, Dorset, that it was possible that the snake had BH20 4PJ, United Kingdom. eaten a R. naso. On the second occa- [email protected] sion we observed an orange / taupe co- loured adult male C. annulatus (584 DARRYN J. NASH mm TL / 512 mm SVL) swallowing a 60 West Road, Spondon, Derby DE21 7AB. Unit- R. naso in the crown of a Manicaria ed Kingdom. saccifera palm, approximately 200 m [email protected] along a riparian section of the Biologi- cal Station’s forest. Rhynchonycteris PAUL B. C. GRANT naso are an abundant insectivorous bat 4901 Cherry Tree Bend, Victoria, British Colom- found throughout most tropical lowlands bia, V8Y 1S1, Canada. from southern Mexico through to the northern half of South America (Sorin, Corallus annulatus (Northern Annu- 1999). They are a small bat ranging lated Tree-boa) is a little-studied tropical from 35 to 41 mm in forearm length Boid occurring disjunctively throughout and typically weigh around 4 g. Both C. Central America and tropical South annulatus and R. naso are closely asso- America in mostly lowland tropical ciated with trees near rivers and moist and wet forests (Holdridge, 1967; streams and single species roost sites Stafford & Henderson, 1996; Smith & for R. naso are almost exclusively found Acevedo, 1997; Henderson et al., 2001). close to water (Goodwin, 1946; Goodwin Prior to this report and to the best of & Greenhall, 1961; Carter et al., 1966; our knowledge, small rodents were the Plumpton & Jones, 1992; Stafford & only documented prey for wild speci- Henderson, 1996). mens of C. annulatus (Henderson et To the best of our knowledge these al., 1995). are the first recorded instances of C. an- Caño Palma Biological Station is sit- nulatus predating on R. naso. Previous uated on the northeast coast of Costa studies have identified hawks (Buteo Rica approximately 8 km north of Tor- spp.), falcons (Falco spp.) and egrets tuguero. C. annulatus has previously (Leucophoyx spp.) as significant preda- been recorded from Manicaria forest at tors of R. naso (Husson, 1962; Sander- Caño Palma (Myers, 1990; Burger, son, 1941). The Orb spider Argiope savig- 2001). nyi (Araneidae) has also been recorded On 12th January 2002 and 15th July as a predator (Timm & Losilla, 2007). 2003 we found two separate C. annula- Predation on bats by Boids is well re- tus specimens with Rhynchonycteris corded in the tropics, most of which are naso (Proboscis bat) in their stomachs. recorded at the bats’ roosting site; Epi- In the first instance an anerythristic co- crates cenchris cenchris (Boidae) (Rain- Recibido: 01/03/2009 — Aceptado: 12/11/09 Ed. asoc.: F. Cruz 94 T. R. LEWIS et al.: Predation by Corallus annulatus on Rhynchonycteris naso Fig. 1.0. Anerythristic Corallus annulatus with (possible) Rhynchonycteris naso meal (Photo: Paul B. C. Grant). Fig. 1.1. Rhynchonycteris naso roosting under Caño Palma Biological Station boat dock (Photo: Paul B. C. Grant). Cuad. herpetol., 23 (2): 93–96, 2009 95 bow Boa) fed on Carollia perspicillata Trinidad and Tobago. Bulletin of (Phyllostomidae) (Lemke, 1978), Epi- the American Museum of Natural crates anguilifer (Boidae) (Cuban Boa) History 122: 187-302. predated Phyllonycteris poeyi (Phyllosto- HARDY, J. D. 1957. Bat predation by midae) (Hardy, 1957) and Epicrates inor- the Cuban Boa, Epicrates anguili- natus (Boidae) (Puerta Rican Boa) ate fer Bibron. Copeia 1957: 151-152. Monophyllus redmani (Phyllostomidae) HENDERSON, R. W.; T. W. P. MICUCCI; and Brachyphylla cavernarum (Phyllosto- G. PUORTO & R. W. BOURGEOIS. midae) (Rodriguez, 1984). The more thor- 1995. Ecological correlates and oughly studied Corallus hortulanus patterns in the distribution of neo- (Boidae) (Amazon Tree Boa) is known to tropical boines (Serpentes: adopt a sit-and-wait strategy as well as Boidae): a preliminary assess- actively snatching bats from the air ment. Herpetological Natural His- (Henderson, 2002; Barnett et al., 2007). tory 3: 15-27. Given that both the C. annulatus and HENDERSON, R. W.; M. HÖGGREN; W. the R. naso are primarily nocturnal it is W. LAMAR & L. W. PORRAS. suggested that, on both occasions, the 2001. Distribution and variation tree-boas adopted a snatching strategy. in the treeboa Corallus annulatus We thank The Canadian Organiza- (Serpentes: Boidae). Studies on tion for Tropical Education and Rainfor- Neotropical Fauna and Environ- est Conservation (COTERC) for permis- ment 36: 39-47. sion to study at Caño Palma Biological HENDERSON, R. W. 2002. Neotropical Station and Xavier Guevara of The Min- Tree-boas: natural history of the isterio de Recursos Naturales Energia y Corallus hortulanus complex. Minas (MINAE) for permits to study the Krieger Publishing Company, Mal- forest. abar. HOLDRIDGE, L. R. 1967. Life zone ecol- ogy (2nd Edition). Tropical Science REFERENCES Center, San José, Costa Rica. HUSSON, A. M. 1962. The bats of Suri- BARNETT, A. A.; V. SCHIEL & A. DE- name. Zoologische Verhandelin- VENY. 2007. Predation of a bat by gen, Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke a juvenile Amazon Tree Boa (Cor- Historie Leiden 58: 1-282. allus hortulanus: Boidae), in Jaú LEMKE, T. O. 1978. Predation upon bats National Park, Brazil. The Herpe- by Epicrates cenchria cenchris in tological Bulletin 100: 35-37. Colombia. Herpetological Review 9: BURGER, R. M. 2001. The herpetofauna 47. of Caño Palma Biological Station, MYERS, R. L. 1990. Palm swamps. Eco- Tortuguero, Costa Rica. Bulletin systems of the World 15: Forested of the Chicago Herpetological So- Wetlands. (Ed by A E Lugo, M ciety 36 (12): 243-253. Brinson & S Brown), pp. 267-278, CARTER, D. C.; R. H. PINE & W. B. Elsevier, Oxford. DAVIS. 1966. Notes on the Middle PLUMPTON, D. L. & J. K. JONES. 1992. American bats. The Southwestern Rhynchonycteris naso. Mammalian Naturalist 11: 488-499. Species 413: 1-5. GOODWIN, G. G. 1946. Mammals of RODRIGUEZ, G. A. 1984. Bat predation Honduras. Bulletin of the Ameri- by the Puerto Rican boa, Epi- can Museum of Natural History crates inornatus. Copeia 1984: 79: 107-195. 219-220. GOODWIN, G. G. & A. M. GREENHALL. SANDERSON, I. T. 1941. Living treasure. 1961. A review of the bats of Viking Press, New York. 96 T. R. LEWIS et al.: Predation by Corallus annulatus on Rhynchonycteris naso SMITH, E. N. & M. E. ACEVEDO. 1997. STAFFORD, P. J. & R. W. HENDERSON. The northernmost distribution of 1996. Kaleidoscopic tree-boas: the Corallus annulatus (Boidae), with genus Corallus of tropical Ameri- comments on its natural history. ca. Krieger Publishing Company, Southwestern Naturalist 42: 347- Malabar. 349. TIMM, R. M. & M. LOSILLA. 2007. Orb- SORIN, A. 1999. Rhynchonycteris naso weaving spider, Argiope savignyi (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. (Araneidae), predation on the Pro- Accessed February 23, 2009 at boscis bat Rhynchonycteris naso http://animaldiversity.ummz. (Emballonuridae). Caribbean Jour- umich.edu/site/accounts/informa- nal of Science, 43 (2), 282-284. tion/Rhynchonycteris_naso.html..