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86 SHORT NOTE HERPETOZOA 17(1/2) Wien, 30. Juni 2004 SHORT NOTE

DEB 01-32227 to J. W. SITES, Jr. We thank Fauna au- cyanogaster (RÜPPELL, 1835) (Tree ). thorities of Chubut, Rio Negro, and Neuquén Provinces Predators of A. p. planiceps include horn- for collection permits. bills and rock kestrels and up to 30% of KEY WORDS: Reptilia: : Sauria: Igu- anidae: Liolaemus cuyanus, L. gracilis, L. grosseorum, adults have been documented with broken L. kriegi, L. wiegmannii, distribution, Patagonia, Argen- tails (BRANCH 1998). Although it is expect- tina ed that small predators other than raptors SUBMITTED: January 8, 2004 prey on A. p. planiceps, this is most likely AUTHORS: Dr. Luciano Javier AVILA, CEN- the first record of A. p. planiceps being PAT-CONICET, Boulevard Almirante Brown s/n, preyed upon by Galerella nigrata U9120ACV, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina < [email protected] >; Lie. Mariana ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The following MURANDO, CENPAT-CON1CET, Boulevard Almirante individuals and institutions are acknowledged for Brown s/n, U9120ACV, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, logistical support and financial assistance: Argentina (Present address: Department of Integrative Commercial Bank of Namibia's Go Green Fund, Roger Biology, Brigham Young University, 401 WIDB, FUSSEL, Mike GRIFFIN, Galen RATHBUN, Rob SIMMONS, Provo, Utah, USA); Sr. Cristian Hernan Fulvio PEREZ, Lindy VAN DEN BOSCH, Mike and Helen WARREN, Agustin Alvarez 1182 "A". 8000. Bahia Bianca Wildlife Society of Namibia & Otto Zapke. (Buenos Aires), Argentina. < [email protected] >; REFERENCES: BRANCH, B. (1998): Field Dr. Jack Walter SITES, Jr. Department of Integrative guide to snakes and other of southern Africa. Biology, Brigham Young University, 401 WIDB, Cape Town (Struik Publishers Pty Ltd.), pp. 399. SKIN- Provo, Utah, USA NER, J. D. & SMITHERS, R. H. N. (1990): The mammals of the southern African subregion. Pretoria (University of Pretoria Press), pp. 771. Agama planiceps PETERS, 1862 KEY WORDS: Reptilia: Squamata: Sauria: as prey item for ; Agama planiceps, prédation, Namibia SUBMITTED: November 24, 2003 Galerella (sanguinea) nigrata AUTHORS: Tristan COWLEY & Peter CUNNING- HAM, Department of Nature Conservation, Polytechnic On three occasions during July and of Namibia, P/Bag 13388, Windhoek, Namibia. August 2003 (9/07, 20/07, 19/08) adult Na- < [email protected] > in ibian Rock Agamas {Agama planiceps planiceps PETERS, 1862) were observed SMITH, being caught and eaten by adult male Black Python natalensis 1833 Mongooses Galerella {sanguinea) nigrata preys on South African Porcupine in the Erongo Mountains west of Omaruru Hystrix africaeaustralis in western Namibia. Whilst conducting fieldwork on the On 12 December 2003 a dead adult habitat use and home range of G nigrata it Southern African Python, Python natalensis was noticed that they often attempted to prey SMITH, 1833, of 3 m in length was found on A p. planiceps individuals although most- approximately 60 km north-west of Oka- ly unsuccessfully. The three occasions when handja on the farm Okarumetero in central A. p. planiceps individuals were caught Namibia with the carcass of an adult South occurred during the early morning between African Porcupine Hystrix africaeaustralis 08:30 and 09:30 on cool days when the aga- individual inside it. The quills of the porcu- mas were less mobile. Once caught, they pine were protruding through the skin of the were quickly subdued by being vigorously python possibly indicating that the python shaken for a few seconds and then totally had caught and consumed the porcupine consumed. On one occasion cooperative after which the quills resulted in the death of hunting by two G nigrata individuals on A. the individual. It would seem from the car- p. planiceps was even observed albeit also cass remains that the python was disturbed unsuccessful. after ingesting the porcupine and tried to According to SKINNER & SMITHERS regurgitate its prey consequently resulting (1990), Sauria rank second behind Insecta in the death of the snake. in the diet of Galerella sanguinea as identi- The diet of P. natalensis consists main- fied from 60 stomach contents from south- ly of warm-blooded prey and includes rock ern Africa. The only Agama identified from hyrax, hares, cane rats, monkeys, small ante- the stomach contents however, was A. lope, fish, monitor , small crocodiles