Herpetology Notes, volume 10: 71-73 (2017) (published online on 17 February 2017)

Death of Oxyrhopus petolarius (Linnaeus, 1758) (Serpentes: Dipsadidae) after an unsuccessful predation event on Tropidurus torquatus (Wied-Neuwied, 1820) (Sauria: Tropiduridae)

Leildo Machado Carilo Filho1,*, Daniel Grundmann Nascimento2 and Antônio Jorge Suzart Argôlo3

Death by suffocation in snakes resulting from Gaiarsa et al, 2013). The species is considered generalist predation episodes have been recorded during natural and preys on small mammals, lizards, birds, bird eggs encounters and laboratory experiments (Godley, 1980; and amphibians (Alencar et al, 2013). Tropidurus Sazima & Martins, 1990). 0ost unsuccessful predation torquatus has a widespread distribution, occurring in events don’t lead to the death of the predator  (see Fong aOarge variety of phytophysiognomies and vegetation et al, 2013; Vargas-Salinas & Aponte-Gutierrez, 2013). typologies (see De Carvalho et al, 2013), feeding on Such events seem to occur more frequently with young arthropods, fruits and flowers (Teixeira & Giovanelli, snakes, perhaps due to unavailability of appropriate size 1999; Pietczak et al, 2013). prey, which may result in a misevaluation of their own Here we present one more fatal gagging case involving ingestion capacity (Godley, 1980; Hailey & Davies, Oxyrhopus petolarius (Linnaeus, 1758). Prey and 1986a,b; Sazima & Martins, 1990; Cavalcanti et al, predator snout-vent length (SVL) and tail length (TL) 2012; Caramaschi & Niemeyer, 2012; Menezes et al, were measured with a flexible ruler to the nearest 1 mm. 2013; Nogueira et al, 2013). A juvenile (according to Alves & Argôlo, 2011) male The capture and consumption of large prey is possible (SVL 497 mm, TL 145 mm) was found in the property in snakes due to a series of morphological adaptations, of the Sede Regional da Comissão Executiva do Plano such as cranial kinesis and tissue elasticity (Ditmars, da Lavoura Cacaueira (CEPLAC), municipality of 1912; Gans, 1961; Arnold, 1983; Savitzky, 1983; Lee et Ilhéus, southern Bahia, Brazil. The specimen was found al, 1999). By eating large prey snakes can satiate their still alive trying to ingest a Tropidurus torquatus (Wied- metabolic demands for a long period (Godley, 1980; Neuwied, 1820) adult male (SVL 94 mm, TL 157 mm). Sazima & Martins, 1990). Oxyrhopus petolarius is a terrestrial Pseudoboini snake that eventually forages upon the vegetation and reaches the maximal length of 1,100 mm (Amaral, 1978;

1 Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Herpetologia e Paleontologia, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, 45662-900, Ilhéus, Bahia. 2 Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Herpetologia e Paleontologia, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, 45662-900, Ilhéus, Bahia. E-mail: [email protected] 3 Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Herpetologia e Paleontologia, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, 45662-900, Ilhéus, Bahia. E-mail: [email protected] Figure 2. Tissue laceration at the left side of Oxyrhopus * Corresponding author e-mail: [email protected] petolarius in the first body portion. Photo by Marcelo Sena. 72 Leildo Machado Carilo Filho et al.

Figure 1. Partially ingested specimen of Tropidurus torquatus. Photo by Marcelo Sena.

The snake was collected for observation in captivity and dead snake. It is possible that, with the extended skin, died with the lizard still in its mouth. Both specimens the snake and its contents suffered some damage along were deposited at the Coleção Zoológica Gregório the maintenance time during the organization of the Bondar (CZGB 4907), at the Universidade Estadual de collection. Nonetheless, Nogueira et al. (2013) reported Santa Cruz, municipality of Ilhéus, Bahia. tissue injuries resulting from an unsuccessful predation At the moment of death, the snake had ingested the event for an Oxyrhopus petolarius specimen. Thus, prey in the anteroposterior direction until its pelvic girdle we can´t discard the possibility that the same situation (Figure 1). The hind limbs and the tail of the lizard were might have happened with the O. petolarius specimen not swallowed. The snake’s tegument presented tissue here referred. lesions over the region that covered the swallowed portion of the prey (Figure 2). Because no influence of predators or humans was detected in the death of the Oxyrhopus petolarius Acknowledgments. Authors are grateful to Antônio F. Carvalho specimen, we suppose that the snake died by mechanical and Mirco Solé for the English review, to Fátima Alves for her comments on Oxyrhopus petolarius biology and to Elaine Ferreira choking. The ingestion of very large prey by juvenile Macêdo for identifying the Tropidurus specimen. We also thank snakes has been documented and is often related Marcelo Sena and Alvaro Coelho B. de Alencar for photographies with cases of asphyxia during the deglutition process and its editions respectively, and to reviewers for provided helpful (Sazima & Martins, 1990; Nogueira et al, 2013). We suggestions. LMCF and DGN are grateful to FAPESB for the observed small slits in the tissue of the tegument of the scientific initiation scholarship grant of. Death of Oxyrhopus petolarius after an unsuccessful predation event 73

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Accepted by Clarissa Canedo