Field Observations on the Predation of the Caecilian Amphibian

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212 Short Notes Fieldobservations on thepredation of thecaecilian amphibian, genus Ichthyophis (Fitzinger,1826), by the red-tailed pipe snake Cylindrophis ruffus (Laurenti, 1768) AlexanderKupfer 1,DavidJ. Gower 2,WernerHimstedt 1 1 Institutfü r Zoologie,Technische Universitä t Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstr.3, D-64287Darmstadt, Germany e-mail: [email protected] 2 Department ofZoology,The Natural HistoryMuseum, London SW7 5BD, United Kingdom Thered-tailed pipe snake Cylindrophisruffus inhabitshumid habitats in lowland areas insoutheast Asia (e.g. Smith, 1943; Manthey and Grossmann, 1997). It iswell adapted toburrowing in loose soils (Smith, 1914; T aylor,1965; Greene, 1983; pers. obs.). Given itsphylogenetic position, anatomy, and behaviour, the diet and feeding biology of pipe snakesis of special interest in studies of the evolution of feeding on large prey by caenophidiansnakes (see Greene,1983; Cundall, 1995; Cundall and Greene, 2000) because “Cylindrophis mightin fact come closest to themode of lifeexpected in theearliest snakes”(Rieppel, 1978: 24). From thedissection of museumspecimens and observations oflaboratorymaintained animals, it isknownthat Cylindrophis consumerelatively large andelongate prey items such as snakes and eels (e.g. Smith, 1914; Saint Girons, 1972; Coxet al., 1998; Pauwels et al., 2000) and caecilians (Greene, 1983). However, eld observationson feedingbehaviour have apparently not been reported. Caeciliansare limblessand snakelike amphibians distributed in moist tropical environ- mentsof theOld and New World.Most adult caecilians are terrestrial and fossorial, living withinthe soil. Due to their secretive habits, little information is available on the ecol- ogyof caecilians,including their predator-prey relationships. Although it is knownfrom museumspecimens that snakes prey on caecilians (e.g. Boulenger, 1913; T aylor,1968), reportsof eldobservations are extremelyrare. Burger(1997) published a eldrecord of acoralsnake Micrurusmultifasciatus hertwigi preyingon anadult Gymnopismultiplicata inCosta Rica, and Grossmann and Schä fer (2000)observed the predation by a Malayan krait, Bungaruscandidus, on Ichthyophis sp.Here we reporttwo eldobservations of cylindrophiidsnakes feeding on ichthyophiidcaecilians. Duringa surveyon thediversity of amphibiansand reptiles in anagriculturallandscape ofthe Mekong valley (north-eastern Thailand, Ubon Ratchathani Province, Khemmarat District) Cylindrophisruffus was commonlyrecorded near brooks, ponds, pools and many otherhumid habitats. On 4 June2001, the perimeter of a large shpondwas studied (N 16±03:0940, E 105±01:7810,170m a.s.l.).A subadult C. ruffus (360mm totallength, 49.6g) was foundabout 15 cm deep in loose sandy soil. Immediately upon being © KoninklijkeBrill NV ,Leiden,2003 Amphibia-Reptilia24: 212-215 Alsoavailable online - www.brill.nl Short Notes Figure 1. A red-tailed pipe snake, Cylindrophis ruffus, regurgitating an adult caecilian, Ichthyophis cf. kohtaoensis. 213.

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