Herpetology Notes, volume 13: 267-269 (2020) (published online on 19 March 2020)

Predation on Liolaemus atacamensis Müller and Hellmich, 1933 (Squamata, Liolaemidae) by Callopistes maculatus Gravenhorst, 1838 (Squamata, Teiidae) in the Atacama Desert

Claudio Reyes-Olivares1,2,*, Daniel Hiriart3, and Yery Marambio-Alfaro3,4

Even though deserts are characterized by a low level of Callopistes maculatus Gravenhorst, 1838 is a Chilean primary productivity, they can present complex trophic endemic teiid that lives in scrubland habitats associated webs that support up to four trophic levels (Ayal, 2007). with rocky and sandy environments along a wide Lizards, as predators, are essential in the maintenance of latitudinal distribution (approximately 1300 km), which these webs in deserts: small and medium-sized lizards, extends from the Atacama Desert to Central Chile as well as other primary predators (e.g., arthropods) (Demangel, 2016; Mella, 2017). This is the largest can support a viable population of secondary predators, lizard of the country, reaching > 500 mm of total length like mammals, birds, and larger reptiles (Polis, 1991). (Demangel, 2016), a characteristic that renders it an Moreover, the predation of primary predators by large- essential predator role in the environments where it sized lizards can promote the diversity of consumers, inhabits (Fuentes, 1976; Castro et al., 1991). Callopistes mainly detritivores (Ayal, 2007). Thus, knowing the maculatus is an active generalist forager that consume food habits and predators of the desert lizards helps to plants (Fuentes, 1976), invertebrates (Donoso-Barros, understand the trophic links that define the structure and 1966; Mellado, 1982; Castro et al., 1991; Vidal et al., dynamics of these communities (Polis, 1991). 2011) and vertebrates, such as micromammals (Mellado, Liolaemus atacamensis Müller and Hellmich, 1933 1982; Simonetti and Yáñez, 1984; Castro et al., 1991; is an insectivorous medium-sized lizard (snout-vent Valladares, 2012), birds (Mella, 2017), snakes (Castro length, SVL = 63 mm) that inhabits rocky scrubland et al., 1991), conspecifics (Vidal and Ortiz, 2003; and sandy environments in the Atacama Desert (Mella, Zúñiga, 2019), and lizards of the genus Liolaemus, such 2017). This is an arid temperate desert that extends from as L. chiliensis (Pérez and Varela, 2019), L. monticola 20°S to 30°S along the Pacific coast of Chile (Hartley (Fernández and Horta-Pizarro, 2018), L. nigromaculatus and Chong, 2002). The ecology of L. atacamensis is (Eifler et al., 2019), L. nitidus (Castro et al., 1991; Jara poorly known (Demangel, 2016; Mella, 2017), as well and Pincheira-Donoso, 2013), and L. silvai (Weymann, as the records of predation. 2016). Here, we report a predation event on Liolaemus atacamensis by Callopistes maculatus in the Atacama Desert. On March 7, 2018, at 13:37 h, during a field trip carried out near Inca de Oro town, located approximately 104 km northwest from Copiapó city, Atacama Region, 1 Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, calle Las Chile (26°44’24’’S; 69°50’53’’W; 1800 m elevation), Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago, Chile. we observed an individual of C. maculatus preying 2 Laboratorio de Neuroetología, Instituto de Ciencias upon an adult female of L. atacamensis (Fig. 1A). Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, When it detected the prey, approximately 3 m away, it Avda. Independencia 1027, Independencia, Santiago, Chile. dashed towards it, grabbed it with its jaws by the middle 3 Parménides Limitada, Plaza Wheelrigth 1265, Copiapó, thorax, and shook it from side to side, hitting it against Atacama, Chile. the ground and rocks until it was dead. During this 4 Laboratorios LASPAL-LABIGAM, Universidad de Antofagasta, Avda. Universidad de Antofagasta 2800, event, the prey autotomized its tail (Fig. 1B), which was Antofagasta, Chile. immediately ingested by the predator. Subsequently, C. * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] maculatus dragged the prey a few meters away holding 268 Claudio Reyes-Olivares et al.

presence of a potential predator (e.g., quickly fleeing to hide; Mella, 2017), or the shortage of studies and natural observations in this inhospitable desert. Further studies will be necessary for a better understanding of the trophic relationships between L. atacamensis and its potential predators. Studies on the diet of C. maculatus indicate that it mostly preys on arthropods and micromammals, and, to a lesser degree (< 5%), on liolemids lizards (Mellado, 1982; Castro et al., 1991), which indicates the consumption of lizards would be opportunistic (Mellado, 1982; Fernández and Horta-Pizarro, 2018). Nevertheless, the contribution of biomass by prey lizards can be substantial if we consider their more significant individual energetic contribution compared to that provided by small arthropods (Mellado, 1982; Castro et al., 1991). In this sense, we suggest the consumption of lizards by C. maculatus is energetically important, mainly when other food items (e.g., arthropods) are scarce in the environment, as it occurs in extremely dry years (Vidal et al., 2011).

Acknowledgments. The authors are grateful to Antonieta Labra, Jorge Mella, Mario Penna, Margarita Ruiz de Gamboa, Marcela Vidal and to the anonymous reviewers for their useful comments that significantly improved this manuscript. CR-O Figure 1. A) Callopistes maculatus Gravenhorst, 1838 preying thanks the fellowship CONICYT-PCHA Doctorado Nacional / upon an adult female of Liolaemus atacamensis Müller and 201521150353. YM-A and DH are thankful to Santiago Metals Ltda. Hellmich, 1933. B) Corpse of L. atacamensis after being abandoned by its predator. References

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Accepted by Rodrigo Gonzalez