Herpetology Notes, volume 10: 355-357 (2017) (published online on 03 July 2017)

Predation of chaquensis (Serpentes, ) upon Elachistocleis matogrosso (Anura, Microhylidae) in the Brazilian Pantanal

Juan Fernando Cuestas Carrillo1,*

Snakes are the most frequent vertebrate predators of distinguished from similar by the presence of post metamorphic anurans. About 45% of the reports a stripe that extends from the post-cephalic dermal of predation on Anura are from , followed by fold to the vent at the mid-dorsum. E. matogrosso was birds, mammals, and other anurans (Toledo et al. 2007). recently described, which is why little is still known Amphibians and snakes share similar nocturnal habits about its ecology, natural history traits and interspecific (Bauer, 1990; Maffei et al. 2010; Dorado-Rodrigues interactions. et al. 2012) and predation may constitute an Herein I report a predation event by T. chaquensis important selective pressure for defense strategies in (Colubridae) on E. matogrosso (Microhylidae). This Anura (Toledo et al. 2007) event was registered during fieldwork on 13 April The genus Thamnodynastes Wagler, 1830 is composed 2016, at 22h, in the vicinity of the Base de Estudos of 19 species of colubrid snakes distributed in South do Pantanal of the Universidade Federal de Mato America (Uetz 2017). These species present several Grosso do Sul, in the Brazilian Pantanal (19◦34´31,7´´S taxonomic problems which makes identifying them and 57◦1´17,5´´W). The individual of E. matogrosso was defining their distributions difficult (Franco and Ferreria observed on a rocky area in a temporary pond not far 2002; Bellini et al. 2013). Even so, Thamnodynastes from the marginal vegetation, where it approached the chaquensis Bergna and Alvares, 1993 is distributed in the snake without realizing its presence. Afterwards, the Chaco and Pantanal ecosystems in Argentina, Paraguay, individual of T. chaquensis attacked the small frog, Uruguay and (Franco and Ferreira 2002; Bellini grabbing it by its back (Fig. 1). After 18 minutes with et al. 2014; Uetz 2017). Thamnodynastes chaquensis the frog in its mouth, the individual of T. chaquensis is a small snake that shows sexual dimorphism, with started to swallow its prey. females who have less subcaudal and ventral scales, We found similar predation reports (Dorado- are heavier, and have shorter tails and longer heads as Rodrigues et al. 2012; Dorigo et al. 2014) verifying that compared to males. Furthermore, this species feeds species of Thamnodynastes use their opisthogliphous exclusively on anurans, which makes it the species with dentition to poison the prey before ingestion and that the most restricted diet when compared to other similar the prey can take 14 to 19 minutes to die. Predation and co-distributed species, such as T. hypoconia and T. is a selective force for amphibians, which push frogs strigatus (Bellini et al. 2014). to develop behaviours and life-history traits, such Elachistocleis matogrosso Caramaschi 2010 is a small as defences that can be divided into passive, cryptic microhylid, which occurs in the southern Brazilian colorations, and active, such as chemical compounds Pantanal (Caramaschi 2010), where it shares its (Wells 2007). Even so, defensive behaviours like stiff- distribution with T. chaquensis. This small frog is easily legged posture were recorded for the family but not for the species (Mira-Mendes et al. 2016), and there are not recognised substances in skin of Microhylidae related with antipredator function (Mebs et al. 2010).

1 Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Centro de This is the first report of a species of Microhylidae Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Cidade Universitária, as prey of T. chaquensis, and the second for the Campo Grande, MS CEP 79070-900, Brazil. Thamnodynastes genus (see Maffei et al. 2011). * Corresponding author e-mail: [email protected] Furthermore, when compared between families, 356 Juan Fernando Cuestas Carrillo

Figure 1. A young Thamnodynastes chaquensis preys on a small Elachistocleis matogrosso in a rocky area close to a temporary pond in the Brazilian Pantanal.

Microhylidae is not a common prey for snakes Caramaschi, U. (2010): Notes on the taxonomic status of regarding the number of species (Toledo et al. 2007), Elachistocleis ovalis (schneider, 1799) and description of five which suggests that even T. chaquensis being a predator new species of Elachistocleis parker, 1927 (Amphibia, Anura, Microhylidae). Boletim do Museu Nacional 527: 1-30. specialized in anurans, predation of Microhylidae may Dorado-Rodrigues, T.F., Campos, V.A., dos Santos M.M., be occasional and opportunistic. Pansonato A., Strüssmann C. (2012): Circumstances and bioacoustics of the distress call of Leptodactylus chaquensis Acknowledgments. I would like to thank Vanda L. Ferreira for help (Anura: Leptodactylidae) during predation by Thamnodynastes with snake identification, Diego J. Santana for frog identification chaquensis (Serpentes: Dipsadidae) in the Brazilian Pantanal. and suggestions on the manuscript, Hannah Doerrier for English Salamandra 48: 237-240. review and Brazilian “Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Dorigo, T.A., Vrcibradic, D., Borges-Junior V.N.T., Rocha C.B.D. Científico e Tecnológico” (Cnpq) for scholarship. (2014): New records of anuran predation by snakes of the genus Thamnodynastes Wagler, 1830 (Colubridae: Dipsadinae) in the : References Atlantic rainforest of southeastern Brazil. ����������������� 7 261-264. Bauer, M.F. (1990): Gekkonid Lizards as preys of invertebrates and Franco, F.L., Ferreira, T.G. (2002): Descrição de uma nova espécie predators of vertebrates. Herpetological Review 21: 83-87. de Thamnodynastes Wagler 1930 (Serpentes, Colubridae) Bellini, G.P., Arzamendia, V., Giraudo, A.R. (2013): Ecology of do nordeste brasileiro, com comentários sobre o gênero. Thamnodynastes hypoconia in subtropical–temperate South Phyllomedusa 1: 57-54. America. Herpetologica 69: 67-79. Maffei, F., Rolim, D.C., Jim, J. (2011): Thamnodynastes hypoconia. Bellini, G.P., Giraudo, A.R., Arzamendia, V. (2014): Comparative Diet. Herpetological Review 42: 620. ecology of three species of Thamnodynastes (Serpentes, Maffei, F., Ubaid, F.K., Jim, J. (2010): Predation of herps by Dipsadidae) in subtropical-temperate South America. spiders (Araneae) in the Brazilian Cerrado. Herpetology Notes Herpetological Journal 24: 87-96. 3: 167-170. Predation of Thamnodynastes chaquensis upon Elachistocleis matogrosso 357

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Accepted by Igor Kaefer