Herpetology Notes, volume 13: 579-581 (2020) (published online on 30 July 2020)

An observation of predation and prey caching of Ctenophorus parviceps (Squamata: Agamidae) and Lerista miopus (Squamata: Scincidae) in Western Australia

Shawn Scott1, Stephen Mahony2,3, Chad T. Beranek2,4,*

Western Australia (WA) possesses a high diversity of detected during trapping surveys. For example, in herpetofauna which includes numerous small, cryptic, a methods comparison study, considerably more C. and poorly studied species (Pianka, 1986). Many of these parviceps were captured by trapping than by active are small lizard species, which likely constitute suitable searching (Rolfe and Mckenzie, 2000). prey for a range of mammals, birds, and larger reptiles. Furthermore concerning predation-prey interaction, Two lizard species endemic to WA are the Gnaraloo no predation records have been made specific to heath dragon, Ctenophorus parviceps (Storr 1964) and C. parviceps or L. miopus but congeners have been the northern dotted-lined robust slider, Lerista miopus observed in the diets of mesopredator mammals such as (Günther 1867). Ctenophorus parviceps received cats (Felis catus) and foxes (Vulpes vulpes) (Read and elevation to species in 2008 (Melville et al., 2008) and Bowen, 2001; Kutt, 2011; Woinarski et al., 2018), snakes is distributed from the Northwest Cape south to near such as the dugite (Pseudonaja affinis) and raptors such Carnarvon (Wilson and Swan, 2017). Lerista miopus as the nankeen kestrel (Falco cenchroides). was recently described as a distinct taxon and removed Here we present an observation of predation and food- from synonymy with L. lineopunctulata (Amey and caching of these two species. At 16:22 h on 19 August Edwards, 2017), and is similarly distributed between 2019, we observed two deceased reptiles located ~20 the Northwest Cape and Geraldton, WA. Both species cm high in a small grass tussock (Family: Poaceae; Fig. occupy similar ecological niches, inhabiting the coastal 1A) at Quobba Blowhole, Western Australia (GPS: - sand dune habitat and immediate hinterland supporting 24.4804°S, 113.4180°E). The tussock was located on native heath and shrub (Wilson and Swan, 2017). the eastern side of a walking track atop a parabolic sand The remote distributions, cryptic behaviour, and dune, ~75 m south-east of the Point Quobba Lighthouse recent recognition of these species as distinct taxa has at an altitude of 51 m. Weather conditions were contributed to the lack of literature concerning their sunny (air temperature: ~25oC). The vegetation of the ecology and natural history. The cryptic behaviours immediate area was composed of relatively small (0.3 exhibited by these species result in difficulties studying – 1 m tall) dense and prickly shrubs such as Scaevola their biology and ecology. Both are primarily only spinescens and which were interspersed with saltbush shrubs such as Rhagodia sp. The specimens were identified as an adult L. miopus and a mature male C. parviceps (based on well-developed femoral pores). Both had a small laceration to the back 1 Royal Zoological Society of South Australia, Frome Road, of the neck ~1 cm long (Fig. 1B) and were apparently Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia. stored as cached food items. They were vouchered 2 School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Biology Building, for the Western Australian Museum (WAM). Voucher University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan New specimen numbers are R165465 for C. parviceps and South Wales 2308, Australia. R165464 for L. miopus. 3 Collections and Research, Western Australian Museum, 49 Kew Street, Welshpool WA 6106, Australia. At the time of the observation, a small bird of prey was 4 FAUNA Research Alliance, PO Box 5092, Kahibah, NSW observed in flight 20 m away to the west. Binoculars 2290, Australia. were not used and hence, identification is not certain * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] but based on size and behaviour, it was a falconid, likely 580 Shawn Scott et al.

Figure 1. A: Food-cached prey items, Ctenophorus parviceps (left) and Lerista miopus (right) stored in a grass tussock (photograph by S. Scott). B: Neck wound on C. parviceps found in the grass clump (wound similar in L. miopus). Voucher specimen number: R165465 (photograph by S. Mahony).

either an Australian hobby (F. longipennis) or a nankeen 2016). It is possible that a concealed nest occurred on kestrel (F. cenchroides). the lighthouse, which was the only tall structure in the We consider this bird of prey to be the likely cause immediate area. of this food caching observation for several reasons. In the lead-up to the observation, there were many Firstly, the shape of the neck wounds on both specimens tracks of reptiles observed in the sand, primarily those of are consistent with a falconid predator. Falconids are Lerista sp., but also those likely originating from agamid known to kill captured prey by delivering a blow to neck and varanid lizards and elapid snakes. In addition, we with their beak which breaks or damages the cervical observed numerous active Ctenophorus maculatus and vertebrae (Sustaita and Hertel, 2010). Secondly, caching C. parviceps in this area. of these prey items was observed in a low-lying clump The observation of predation on L. miopus is interesting of grass which is similar to other reports of caching given that not much is known about the daily activity behaviours in Australian raptors (Fitzsimons et al., patterns of any Lerista. As this observation occurred 2019). Finally, the species of raptor is more likely to in the late afternoon and the specimen was evidently be F. cenchroides as this species regularly includes recently killed, two possible explanations could include; small reptiles in their diet. An alternative candidate is (1) the L. miopus was surface active and taken while F. longipennis, however, this species is considered a exposed, or (2) the predator was able to detect and bird hunting specialist and is not known to cache prey capture the L. miopus while it was under the sand. (Aumann et al., 2016). F. cenchroides is known to hunt mostly insects, but It has been suggested that prey caching in raptors occasionally takes reptile prey (Olsen et al., 1979; occurs more often during feeding of nesting young and Bollen, 2016). Reptile species that are known to during periods of high prey density (Collopy, 1977). The be included in the diet of F. cenchroides in Western time of year in which this observation occurred likely to Australia are the skinks Ctenotus australis and C. intersect the breeding period of F. cenchroides (Bollen, fallens (Dickman et al., 1991). Given the similar sizes Predation and prey caching of Ctenophorus parviceps and Lerista miopus, Australia 581 of C. parviceps and L. miopus (SVL <5 cm and 11 cm Fitzsimons, J.A., Thomas, J.L., Debus, S.J. (2019): Prey-caching in respectively [Wilson and Swan, 2017]) to C. fallens the nankeen kestrel ‘Falco cenchroides’, and a review of caching and C. australis (SVL 10 cm and 9.5 cm respectively in other Australian falcons. Australian Field Ornithology 36: 1. Kutt, A.S. (2011): The diet of the feral cat (Felis catus) in north- [Wilson and Swan, 2017]), it would be unsurprising that eastern Australia. Acta Theriologica 56: 157–169. they would also be preyed upon by F. cenchroides. Martin, G., Twigg, L., Robinson, D. (1996): Comparison of the diet It is additionally likely that sympatric birds of prey of feral cats from rural and pastoral Western Australia. Wildlife would also prey upon reptiles within this distribution, Research 23: 475–484. including other falconids such as the brown falcon Mcdonald, P.G., Olsen, P.D., Baker-Gabb, D.J. (2003): Territory (F. berigo) and accipitrids such as the little eagle fidelity, reproductive success and prey choice in the brown (Hieraaetus morphnoides) and brown goshawk falcon, Falco berigora: A flexible bet-hedger? Australian Journal of Zoology 51: 399–414. (Accipiter fasciatus) (Mcdonald et al., 2003; Aumann, Melville, J., Shoo, L.P., Doughty, P. (2008): Phylogenetic et al., 2016; Walsh and Beranek, 2017). The hunting relationships of the heath dragons (Rankinia adelaidensis and strategies of these species to capture ground-dwelling R. parviceps) from the south-Western Australian biodiversity animals is mainly perch hunting and hovering (Olsen hotspot. Australian Journal of Zoology 56: 159–171. et al., 2006; Beranek, 2017), and these strategies appear Molsher, R., Newsome, A., Dickman, C. (1999): Feeding ecology conducive to capturing fast-moving reptile prey. and population dynamics of the feral cat (Felis catus) in relation Future studies may identify if caching of reptiles to the availability of prey in central-eastern New South Wales. Wildlife Research 26: 593–607. occurs more commonly during periods of high Olsen, J., Fuentes, E., Rose, A.B., Trost, S. (2006): Food hunting abundance by conducting seasonal surveys. This of eight breeding raptors near canberra, 1990-1994. Australian would also be of interest to understand the population Field Ornithology 23: 77–95. dynamics of C. parviceps, L. miopus and other cryptic Olsen, P., Vestjens, W., Olsen, J. (1979): Observations on the diet of sand-dwelling species of WA, as raptors may impact the Australian kestrel Falco cenchroides. Emu 79: 133–138. population fluctuations of these species due to density- Pianka, E.R. (1986): Ecology and natural history of desert lizards: dependant predation. Analyses of the ecological niche and community structure, Princeton, United States, Princeton University Press. Read, J., Bowen, Z. (2001): Population dynamics, diet and aspects Acknowledgements. We thank Paul Doughty and the WAM of the biology of feral cats and foxes in arid South Australia. for providing advice and equipment for the trip that lead to this Wildlife Research 28: 195–203. observation. We thank Damian Lettoof for a pre-review and Rolfe, J., Mckenzie, N. 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