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Predation Attempt of Drymarchon Melanurus (Duméril Et Al., 1854) on a Juvenile of Grey-Backed Hawk (Pseudastur Occidentalis Salvin, 1876) in Coastal Ecuador

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Predation Attempt of Drymarchon Melanurus (Duméril Et Al., 1854) on a Juvenile of Grey-Backed Hawk (Pseudastur Occidentalis Salvin, 1876) in Coastal Ecuador Herpetology Notes, volume 11: 365-366 (2018) (published online on 02 May 2018) Predation attempt of Drymarchon melanurus (Duméril et al., 1854) on a juvenile of Grey-backed Hawk (Pseudastur occidentalis Salvin, 1876) in Coastal Ecuador Luis M. Fernández1,* and Louise Delisle1 The Black-tailed Cribo Drymarchon melanurus but could not find the snake nor any sign of the bird (Duméril et al., 1854) is a species with a wide (i.e.: feathers). distribution, from Mexico to north Venezuela, western Although records have shown that the Black-tailed Colombia and Ecuador, and north-western Peru (Wüster Cribo has a varied diet preying on different types of et al., 2001; Rodríguez-Guerra and Guerra-Correa, animals (Lemos-Espinal and Dixon, 2013; Hernandez- 2017). In Ecuador, this species has been found in Ríos et al., 2013; Villa et al., 2015; García-Padilla, 2015; different provinces inhabiting several types of forests Platt et al., 2016), there are few reports documenting the between 20 and 2200 meters of elevation (Cisneros- consumption of bird species by D. melanurus (Lazcano Heredia, 2006; Almendáriz and Brito, 2012). Through et al., 2005; Lemos-Espinal and Dixon, 2013; Platt et its range, D. melanurus has been reported preying on al., 2016), as for example Momotus momota (Platt et anurans, hatchling tortoises, birds, lizards, snakes, bats, al., 2016) and Arremonops rufivirgatus (Lazcano et al., fish, eels, and smaller conspecifics (Powell et al., 2011; 2005), but none related to raptor birds. Therefore, this Lemos-Espinal and Dixon, 2013; Sunyer and Leonardi, would be the first record of D. melanurus preying on a 2015; Villa et al., 2015; Platt et al., 2016). raptor bird species. On August 3rd 2017 at 1530 h, an adult individual Information about predatory behaviour on this species of Black-tailed Cribo was photographed and recorded is really scarce and, even though we cannot ensure that strangling a juvenile Grey-backed Hawk Pseudastur the snake ate the hawk, this rare encounter contributes occidentalis (Salvin, 1876) in the Lalo Loor Dry Forest to knowledge in this particular aspect on D. melanurus. Reserve (Tabuga, Jama, Manabí) (Fig. 1). Within the Reserve there is a mixture of three different ecosystems: References coastal lowland semi-deciduous forest, coastal mountain Almendáriz, A., Brito, J. (2012): Ampliación del rango foothills semi-deciduous forest and coastal lowland distribucional de Drymarchon melanurus (Colubridae) y seasonal evergreen forest. Specifically, we witnessed Basiliscus galeritus (Iguanidae-Corytophaninae), hacia los this event on a trail that crosses the latter ecosystem at bosques secos interandinos del norte del Ecuador. Revista 200m away from a stream (-0.09321°N -80.14387°W; Politécnica 30: 179-183. 203 m. elev). After taking the photographs, the team Cisneros-Heredia, D.F. (2006): Reptilia, Colubridae, Drymarchon continued the survey and therefore we cannot confirm if melanurus: Filling distribution gaps. Check List 2: 20-21. Daza-R., J.M. (2005): Drymarchon corais melanurus (Indigo the hawk was eaten by the snake. After completing the Snake). Diet. Herpetological Review 36(4): 457. survey the team went back to look for more evidence García-Padilla, E. (2015). Predation event and distributional record for Atropoides occiduus (Hoge, 1966). Miscellaneous Notes. Mesoamerican Herpetology 2: 376-377. Hernández-Ríos, A., García-Padilla, E., Villegas-Nieto, A. (2013): Natural History Notes. Drymarchon melanurus (Central 1 Ceiba Foundation for Tropical Conservation, 301 S. Bedford American Indigo Snake). Diet. Herpetological Review 44: 690. St, Suite 7A, Madison, WI, 53703, United States; Phone: +1 Lazcano, D., La Peña, C.G., Castañeda, G., González-Rojas, I. 608 230-5550. (2005): Natural History Notes. Drymarchon corais (Indigo * Corresponding author. Email: [email protected] Snake). Diet. Herpetological Review 36: 193. 366 Luis M. Fernández & Louise Delisle Figure 1. A Black-tailed Cribo strangling a juvenile specimen of a Grey-backed Hawk at Lalo Loor Dry Forest Reserve (Jama, Manabí, Ecuador). Lemos-Espinal, J.A., Dixon, J.R. (2013): Amphibians and Reptiles Sunyer, J., Leonardi, R. (2015): Natural History Notes. of San Luis Potosí. Eagle Mountain Publishing, LC, Eagle Drymarchon melanurus (Central American Indigo Snake). Diet. Mountain, Utah, United States Herpetological Review 46(1): 103. Platt, S.G., Rainwater, T.R., Meerman, J.C., Miller, S.M. (2016): Villa, R.A., Van Devender, T.R., Valdéz-Coronel, C.M., Burkhardt, Notes on the diet, foraging behavior, and venom of some snakes T.R. (2015): Peripheral and elevational distribution, and a in Belize. Mesoamerican Herpetology 3(1):162-170. novel prey item for Drymarchon melanurus in Sonora, Mexico. Powell, R.L., Lukefahr, W.D., Palreiro, L.T., Quintanilla, J.A., Mesoamerican Herpetology 2(3): 378-380. Villescas, G.M. (2011): Natural History Notes. Drymarchon Wüster, W., Yrausquin, J.L., Mijares-Urrutia, A. (2001): A melanurus erebennus (Texas Indigo Snake). Diet. Herpetological new species of indigo snakes from north-western Venezuela Review 42: 289. (Serpentes: Colubridae: Drymarchon). Herpetological Journal Rodríguez-Guerra, A., Guerra-Correa, E. (2017): Drymarchon 11: 157-165. melanurus. In: Torres-Carvajal, O., Salazar-Valenzuela, D., Merino-Viteri A., Eds., ReptiliaWebEcuador. Version 2013.0. Museo de Zoología QCAZ, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. Available at: http://zoologia.puce.edu.ec/vertebrados/ reptiles/FichaEspecie.aspx?Id=7574. Accessed on 22 August 2017. Accepted by Javier Cortés Suárez.
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