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Anecdotal Predation Events of Some Snakes in Ecuador 93-96 All Short Notes (Seiten 59-112):SHORT NOTE.Qxd 07.08.2017 19:16 Seite 35

Anecdotal Predation Events of Some Snakes in Ecuador 93-96 All Short Notes (Seiten 59-112):SHORT NOTE.Qxd 07.08.2017 19:16 Seite 35

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Zoologisch-Botanische Datenbank/Zoological-Botanical Database

Digitale Literatur/Digital Literature

Zeitschrift/Journal: Herpetozoa

Jahr/Year: 2017

Band/Volume: 30_1_2

Autor(en)/Author(s): Cadena-Ortiz Hector, Barahona-V. Alexis, Bahamonde- Vinueza Daniela, Brito M. Jorge

Artikel/Article: Anecdotal events of some in 93-96 All_Short_Notes_(Seiten 59-112):SHORT_NOTE.qxd 07.08.2017 19:16 Seite 35

SHORT NOTE HERPETOZOA 30 (1/2) Wien, 30. Juli 2017 SHORT NOTE 93

Anecdotal predation events of some (f OWlER , 1913) , were also found as prey of snakes in Ecuador this in Pichincha ( mAflA -E NDARA & AyAlA -v ARElA 2012; R AmíREZ -J ARAmillO 2015). Data from and Panama also Ecuador is among the ten countries highlight the importance of anurans ( Bufo , with the highest reptilian diversity, which , Phyllobates ) in its diet includes 224 registered snake ( TOR- (miCHAuD & D ixON 1989). RES -C ARvAJAl et al. 2016). However, infor - miliaris cryso- mation on natural history traits of Ecua - stomus (COPE , 1868).‒ An individual was dorian snakes is scarce with few detailed observed trying to ingest an armored catfish contributions to their dietary spectrum (e. g., Callichthys callichthys (liNNAEuS , 1758), DuEllmAN 1978; B OADA et al. 2005; CiS- close to a small pond, ca. 50 cm deep (fig. NEROS -H EREDiA 2005; m EZA -R AmOS et al. 1c), in December, 2013, at 21:00 h, in a for - 2010; mAflA -E NDARA & A yAlA -v ARElA est of San Carlos community, Orellana, in 2012; RAmíREZ -J ARAmillO 2015). Publica - buffer area of the yasuni National Park tion of any anecdotal data helps to better un - (00°46’13”S, 75°33’39”W). At the time the derstand these ’ ecology ( mOCiñO - event was photographed, the snake held the DElOyA et al. 2014). The authors present head of the fish, which extended its dorsal predation events, supported by photographs, fins making the snake let go; the fish quick - for five colubrid and one viperid species. ly plunged into the pond. The snake was Prey items were identified to the lowest tax - collected and deposited at the museo Ecua- onomic category possible, with the help of toriano de Ciencias Naturales (DHmECN specialists. 10978); it measured 74.4 cm in total length. dendrophis (SCHlE- most information on feeding of this gEl , 1837).‒ An individual (total length ca. species comes from where prey com - 110 cm ) was observed and photographed prises chiefly anurans, e.g., the foam nest of consuming the anuran quixensis latrans (S TEffEN , 1815) (re- JiméNEZ DE lA ESPADA , 1872, in January, ferred to under L. ocellatus in liNgNAu & 2015, at 16:25 h, in Dayuma, Orellana (00° Di-B ERNARDO 2006), Lithobates catesbei - 39’54”N, 76°48’ 20”W). The snake was on anus (S HAW , 1802) (SilvA & R iBEiRO -f ilHO a low transit road and had the anuran large - 2009) and Hylodes meridionalis (m ERTENS , ly swallowed, only its hind legs were ex - 1927) (l imA & C OlOmBO 2008 ). mARquES posed (fig. 1a). This type of prey was ex- & S OuZA (1993) suggested E. miliaris may pected for D. dendrophis, because it is known feed on marine animals in tidal pools also, to be primarily anurophagous ( CuNHA & N AS- since they recorded an individual of this CimENTO 1993; mARTiNS & O livEiRA 1998; snake predating a frillfin goby Bathygobius PRuDENTE et al. 2007). The occasional pres - soporator (v AlENCiENNES , 1837) . miCHAuD ence of insects in the alimentary tract of this & D ixON (1989) identified the banded knife - snake is suggested to be secondary stomach fish Gymnotus carapo liNNAEuS , 1758, as contents ( mARTiNS & O livEiRA 1998; P Ru- prey. fishes seem to play an important role DENTE et al. 2007). The only reference for on the diet of this snake. Ecuador is an adult Pristimantis con - annulata (liNNAEuS , spicillatus (güNTHER , 1858 ), in the stomach 1758).‒ An individual (total length ca. 80 cm) contents of an adult female of this snake was photographed (fig. 1d) consuming an (DuEllmAN 1978). anuran ( Leptodactylus sp.) in October, Erythrolamprus epinephelus albi- 2010, in Kumpak, morona Santiago ventris (JAN , 1863).‒ An individual (total (02°50’11”S, 77°57’57”W). This record is length ca. 60 cm) was photographed (fig. 1b) consistent with exclusively anuran ( Hyla , consuming the lizard Stenocercus guentheri Eleuthero dactylus and Phyllomedusa ) stom - (B OulENgER , 1885), in february, 2015, at ach contents in Ecuadorian specimens 09:15 h, in Tababela, Pichincha (00°08’ (DuEllmAN 1978) and also with mARTiNS & 37”S, 78°20’56”W). Another lizard Pholi - OlivEiRA (1998), who mentioned that L. dobolus montium (P ETERS , 1863) and tad - annulata feeds on adults and tadpoles of poles and adults of Gastrotheca riobambae anurans ( Bufo, Synapturanus, Adenomera, All_Short_Notes_(Seiten 59-112):SHORT_NOTE.qxd 07.08.2017 19:16 Seite 36

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Eleutherodactylus, Leptodactylus, Hyla, tata , which weigh 3 to 5 kg ( TiRiRA 2007), Osteocephalus, Scinax ) and occasionally represent a “new“ prey item and one of the anuran eggs and lizards. biggest registered for B. asper . The largest Pseudalsophis sp.‒ A dead individ - preys recorded previously are the opossum ual (total length ca. 60 cm ) with a lava species Caluromys derbianus, Didelphis lizard incorporated (fig. 1e) was found in marsupialis and Philander opossum and the June 26, 2010, on Santiago island, galapa - rabbit Sylvilagus brasiliensis (SASA et al. gos (00°17’11”N, 90°34’01”W). According 2009), mammals which usually weigh be - to the record locality, the lizard corresponds tween 0.4 to 2.5 kg ( TiRiRA 2007). to Microlophus jacobi (B AuR , 1892) (BENA- ACKNOWlEDgmENTS: The authors wish to viDES et al. 2007), whereas, the snake could thank David Salazar-valenzuela and Jorge H. valencia not be identified to species level because of for comments on a draft version of the manuscript, J. Sicha, glenda Pozo and César mora for photos and its great similarity to both P. dorsalis (STEiN - information, Daniel Escobar and f. Anaguano for fish DACHNER , 1876) and P. steindachneri (vAN identification and mario yánez and Jorge H. valencia DENBuRgH , 1912) occurring on Santiago. for herpetofaunal identification. The big size of the lizard, with one of its legs REfERENCES: BENAviDES , E. & B Aum , R. & penetrating the snake’s body wall (white ar - mCClEllAN , D. & S iTES Jr., J. W. (2007): molecular row), and the low degree of digestion, sug - phylogenetics of the lizard Microlophus (: ): aligning and retrieving indel gest that the snake died from the oversized signal from nuclear introns.- Systematic Biology, prey ingested. However, on fernandina, Oxford; 56: 776-797. BOADA , C. & S AlAZAR , D. & another island of the galapagos Archipel- lASCANO , A. f. & K uCH , u. (2005): The diet of ago, Pseudalsophis biserialis (g üNTHER , asper (gARmAN , 1884) in the Pacific low - lands of Ecuador.- Herpetozoa, Wien; 18: 77-79. 1860) feeds mainly on Microlophus alber - CAmPBEll , J. A. & l AmAR , W. W. (2004): The ven - marlensis (B AuR , 1890) and newborn ma- omous of the Western Hemisphere. ithaca, rine iguanas Amblyrhynchus cristatus BEll , uSA (Cornell university Press), pp. 870. CiSNEROS - 1825 , as well as marine fishes ( mERlEN & HEREDiA , D. f. (2005): Report of molluscivory in carrioni PARKER , 1930.- Herpetozoa, Wien; THOmAS 2013). 18: 185-186. CuNHA , O. R. & N ASCimENTO , f . P. (g ARmAN , 1883) .‒ (1993): Ofídios da Amazônia. As cobras da região leste An i ndividual (total length ca. 200 cm) was do Pará.- Boletim do museu Paraense Emílio goeldi, killed by inhabitants of a cocoa farm on the Belém; (Série Zoologia) 9: 1-191. DuEllmAN , W. E. (1978): The biology of an equatorial herpetofauna in road from Santo Domingo to Esmeraldas Amazonian Ecuador.- university of Kansas museum of (ca. 00°13’27”N, 79°09’57”W). The snake Natural History - miscellaneous. Publications, contained an adult individual of the Central lawrence; 65: 1-352. limA , A. f. B. & C OlOmBO , P. American agouti Dasyprocta punctata (2008): Observação do comportamento predatório de (g RAy , 1842) (fig. 1f) (picture and informa - miliaris orinus (Serpentes, ) em Hylodes meridionalis (Anura, Hylodidae), Serra geral, tion by courtesy of C. mORA ). Rio grande do Sul, Brasil.- Revista Brasileira de insects, centipedes, fishes, anurans, Zoociências, Juiz De fora; 10 (1): 73-76. liNgNAu , R. lizards, and snakes, including congeners, & D i-B ERNARDO , m. (2006): Predation on foam nests birds and mammals, rodents in particular, of two leptodactylid by Solenopsis sp. (Hymenoptera, formicidae) and Liophis miliaris constitute the prey of B. asper (CAmPBEll & (Serpentes, Colubridae).- Biociências, Porto Alegre; 14 lAmAR 2004; B OADA et al. 2005; SASA et al. (2): 223-224. mAflA -E NDARA , P. & A yAlA -v ARElA , f. 2009). This species also feeds on agricul - (2012): Pholidobolus montium (lagartija minadora). tural pests such as rodents and insects, a Predation.- Herpetological Review, Saint louis; 43:137. mARquES , O. A. v., & S OuZA , v. C. (1993): behavior that suggests this snake to be well Nota sobre a atividade alimentar de Liophis miliaris no adapted to human environments ( BOADA et ambiente marinho (Serpentes, Colubridae).- Revista al. 2005; SASA et al. 2009). Adult D. punc - Brasileira de Biologia, Rio de Janeiro; 53 (4): 645-648.

______fig. 1: Snakes from Ecuador - and their prey (opposite page). a ‒ Dendrophidion dendrophis (SCHlEgEl , 1837) - Oreobates quixensis JiméNEZ DE lA ESPADA , 1872 ; b ‒ Erythrolamprus epinephelus albiventris (JAN , 1863 ) - Sternocercus guentheri (BOulENgER , 1885); c ‒ Erythrolamprus miliaris chrysostomus (COPE , 1868) - Callichthys callichthys (liNNAEuS , 1758); d ‒ Leptodeira annulata (liNNAEuS , 1758) - Leptodactylus sp.; e ‒ Pseudalsophis sp. - Microlophus jacobi (BAuR , 1892); f ‒ Bothrops asper (gARmAN , 1883) - Dasyprocta punctata (gRAy , 1842). All_Short_Notes_(Seiten 59-112):SHORT_NOTE.qxd 07.08.2017 19:16 Seite 38

96 SHORT NOTE HERPETOZOA 30 (1/2) Wien, 30. Juli 2017 SHORT NOTE

mARTiNS , m. & O livEiRA , m. E. (1998): Natural his - first record of quatuor- tory of snakes in forests of the manaus region, Central Amazonia, Brazil.- Herpetological Natural History, lineata (BONNATERRE , 1790), from Riverside; 6 (2):78-150. miCHAuD , E. J. & D ixON , J. R. the island of Dugi Otok (Croatia) (1989): Prey items of 20 species of the neotropical col - ubrid snake genus Liophis .- Herpetological Review, Saint louis; 20: 39-41. mERlEN , g. & T HOmAS , R . A. Dugi Otok is the largest and western - (2013): A galápagos ectothermic terrestrial snake gam - bles a potential chilly bath for a -rich dish of most island of the Archipelago of Zadar in fish.- Herpetological Review, Saint louis; 44: 415-417. northern Dalmatia (Croatia); it is 45 km mEZA -R AmOS , P. & A lmENDáRiZ , A. & y áNEZ -m uñOZ , long, 1-5 km wide and separates the other m. H . (2010): Datos sobre la dieta de islands of the archipelago from the open schlegelii (BERTHOlD , 1846) (Serpentes - ) en Adriatic Sea. The vegetation consists of el Occidente del Ecuador.- Boletín Técnico 9, Sangol- quí; (Serie Zoológica) 6: 15-18. mOCiñO -D ElOyA , E. & dense mediterranean maquis (most com - SETSER , K. & P éREZ -R AmOS , E. (2014): Observations mon), open garrigue (central and south), on the diet of triseriatus (mexican dusky rat - pine forest (north) and small cultivated areas tlesnake).- Revista mexicana de Biodiversidad, Ciudad around the settlements (e. g., olive groves). de méxico; 85: 1289-1291. RAmíREZ -J ARAmillO , S. (2015): Observaciones sobre la historia natural de Ery- A nature conservation area (Telašćica Nature throlamprus epinephelus albiventris en el valle de Park) is locate d in the southern portion of quito, Ecuador.- Avances en Ciencias e ingenierías; the island and another one (Kornati National quito; 7 (1): B5-B7. PRuDENTE , A. l. C. & m AS CHiO , Park) covers various adjacent islands south - g. f. & y AmASHiNA , C. E. & S ANTOS -C OSTA , m. C. (2007): morphology, reproductive biology and diet of east of Dugi Otok. Dendrophidion dendrophis (SCHlEgEl , 1837) (Serpen- The following snake species were re- tes, Colubridae) in Brazilian Amazon.- South American ported from the island so far: Xerotyphlops Journal of , São Paulo; 2 (1): 53-58. SASA , vermicularis (mERREm , 1820), ge - m. & W ASKO , D. K., & l AmAR , W. W. (2009): Natural history of the terciopelo Bothrops asper (Serpentes: monensis (lAuRENTi , 1768), situla viperidae) in Costa Rica.- Toxicon, Oxford; 54: 904- (liNNAEuS , 1758), fallax fallax 922. SilvA , E. T. & R iBEiRO -f ilHO , O. P. (2009): (flEiSCHmANN , 1831), natrix (liN - Predation on juveniles of the invasive American NAEuS , 1758) ssp. , insignitus fus - Bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus (Anura, Ranidae) by cus (flEiSCHmANN , 1831) and ammo - native frog and snake species in South-eastern Brazil.- Herpetology Notes, leiden; 2: 215-218. TiRiRA , D. dy tes ammodytes (liNNAEuS , 1758) (H iRTZ (2007): guía de campo de los mamíferos del Ecuador. 1930; gRilliTSCH et al. 1999; D iECKmANN quito (Ediciones murciélago Blanco), pp. 576. 2006; K RyšTufEK & K lETEčK i 2007; Ž AgAR TORRES -C ARvAJAl , O. & S AlAZAR -v AlENZuElA , D. & et al. 2013). The status of X. vermicularis is mERiNO -v iTERi , A. & N iCOlAlDE , D. A. (2016). ReptiliaWebEcuador (versión 2015.0.). quito: museo uncertain, only a single specimen of V. a. de Zoología qCAZ, Pontificia universi dad Católica ammodytes was ever observed (by mario del Ecuador. WWW document available at < http:// Schweiger, pers. comm., quoted by DiECK- zoologia.puce.edu.ec/vertebrados/reptiles/reptiles mANN 2006). Ecuador > [last accessed on march 1, 2016]. in the present note the author reports KEy WORDS: Reptilia: Squamata: Serpentes: viperidae: Bothrops asper ; Colubridae: Dendrophidion on the occurrence of Elaphe quatuor lineata dendrophis , Erythrolamprus epinephelus albiventris , quatuorlineata (BONNATERRE , 1790 ), on that Erythrolamprus miliaris crysostomus , Leptodeira an- island from where it was not known before . nulata , Pseudalsophis sp., Bothrops asper ; diet, prey, The following records were made: feeding ecology; Ecuador, Pichincha, galapagos islands * Juvenile individual, roadkill, village SuBmiTTED: march 04, 2016 of luka beside the sea, may 28, 2016 (fig. AuTHORS: Héctor CADENA -O RTiZ (correspon - 1, site 3; fig. 2). ding author < [email protected] >) 1) , Alexis * Adult male, roadkill, on the main BARAHONA -v. 2) , Daniela BAHAmONDE -v iNuEZA 1, 3) & road of the island 1.5 km northwest of Jorge BRiTO m. 1) luka, interior, more mountainous part of 1) museo Ecuatoriano de Ciencias Naturales del the island, may 31, 2016 (fig. 1, site 1; fig. instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad. Calle Rumipamba 3). 341 y Av. de los Shyris. Casilla: 17-07-8976. quito, Ecuador. * Adult female showing partial mela- 2) Walsh Environmental Scientists and Engi- nism, observed close to the previous site on neers, miravalle 242 y Julio Zaldumbe, quito, Ecuador. June 1, 2016 (fig. 1, site 2). The base color 3) ministerio de Salud Pública, Av. República and the black longitudinal stripes were still del Salvador 36-64 y Suecia. Código Postal: 170515. quito, Ecuador. somewhat visible, especially in the anterior

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