Herpetology Notes, volume 8: 35-37 (2015) (published online on 10 March 2015)

Predation on torquatus (: ) by the Guira Guira guira (Aves: Cuculiformes) in the state of Espírito Santo, Southeastern

Diogo Andrade Koski1,* and Leonardo Merçon2

Small are preyed upon by a variety of and seeds (Teixeira and Giovanelli, 1999; Gomides et (Duellman and Trueb, 1986; Greene, 1988; Zug, 1993) al., 2013). and are a food source of many passerines and other The , Guira guira (Gmelin, 1788) in neotropical forests (e.g., Wetmore, (Cuculidae: ) is widely distributed 1965, 1968, 1972; Wetmore et al., 1984; Stiles et al., throughout , occurring in Brazil, , 1989; Kokubum and Zacca, 2004; Oda et al., 2010; , Uruguay, and (Sick, 1997). This Figueiredo-de-Andrade and Silveira, 2012; Kupriyanov species inhabits open urban and rural areas whose et al., 2012). Because of their low aerobic capacities vegetation comprises vast fields of grass with sparse relative to avian predators, lizards are expected to be trees and shrubs (Souza, 1995). Guira feed cryptic and to rely on brief movements into inaccessible primarily on arthropods (Schubart et al., 1965), but many microhabitats for escape (Evans, 1947; Greene, 1988). studies also indicate consumption of small vertebrates, The Tropidurus Wied, 1825 (Tropiduridae) including amphibians and (Schubart et al., comprises 23 known species of heliothermic lizards 1965; Beltzer, 1995; Soave et al., 2008; Mesquita, 2009; that occupy tropical and subtropical South America Repenning et al., 2009; Morais et al., 2013). Reports (Carvalho et al., 2013). The group is broadly distributed involving predation of T. torquatus by are scarce along most of the open habitats of South America east (e.g., Kokubum and Zaccha, 2004; Oda et al., 2010), of the Andes, from Venezuela to northern Argentina and herein we present the first report of G. guira preying and Uruguay (Rodrigues, 1987; Frost et al., 2001). on this species. Tropidurus torquatus (Wied, 1820) is the most widely During an avifaunal survey in the municipality of distributed species of the genus and occupies the Cerrado Linhares, state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil of central Brazil, along the Atlantic Coast (Rodrigues, (19°03’S; 39°58’W), on 24 August 2012 at 0925 h, we 1987; Rocha, 2000). Tropidurus torquatus presents observed a group of four Guira cuckoos perched on a territorial behavior, diurnal activity, and both sit-and- tree when suddenly three individuals flew towards the wait as well as opportunistic predation (Kohlsdorf et al., ground. Afterwards, one of them returned to the tree 2006). Its diet consists primarily of arthropods, small with a juvenile T. torquatus in its beak (Fig. 1). The vertebrates and plant structures, such as leaves, flowers, lizard was eviscerated and partially eaten by the cuckoo. However, it was not possible to see the conclusion of this predation event, because the bird departed with the lizard in its beak. Since T. torquatus is both abundant and widespread in the areas where it occurs, it can be expected that it is 1 Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Políticas e Sociais “Dom taken as prey opportunistically by at least some birds. Vasco Fernandes Coutinho,” IVAFEC-ES, Rua Francisco Despite the serendipity of our observation, this record Guimarães, No. 80 Glória, CEP 29.120-610, Vila Velha, Espírito Santo, Brazil. adds information about the dietary diversity of Guira 2 Avenida Saturnino Rangel Mauro, 550, Jardim da Penha, CEP cuckoos and their predation behavior, particularly 29060-770, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil. considering the lack of such data. There generally is * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] little information available on the natural history and 36 Diogo Andrade Koski & Leonardo Merçon

Figure 1. A juvenile Tropidurus torquatus being preyed upon by a Guira cuckoo (Guira guira). Municipality of Linhares, Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil.

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Accepted by Hinrich Kaiser