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Herpetology Notes, volume 13: 491-493 (2020) (published online on 09 June 2020)

Predation attempted on iguana (: Iguanidae) by Lontra longicaudis (: ) in the state of Tocantins, Brazil

Karla Dayane de Lima Pereira1,*, Jéssica Vieira Teixeira2, Ely Mariano de Jesus N. Silva2, and Maurivan Vaz Ribeiro2,3,4

The Neotropical , Lontra longicaudis (Olfers, main diet consists of fish and crustaceans, although it 1818), is a widespread semi-aquatic carnivorous also feeds on gastropods, insects, spiders, amphibians, , occurring from Mexico in southern North , birds and (Quadros and Monteiro- America to South America (Paglia et al., 2012; Filho, 2001; Quintela et al., 2008). Rheingantz et al., 2015). In Brazil, it occurs throughout The Common , Iguana iguana (Linnaeus, areas of different climates and habitats with availability 1758), is a widespread arboreal , occurring from of fresh water and even in coastal areas: rivers, streams, North America to South America (Bock et al., 2018; Uetz lakes, lagoons, coastal environments, rocky beaches et al., 2020). In Brazil, it is found in all biomes, mainly and mangroves (Sousa et al., 2013; Rosas-Ribeiro et in environments with forest and shrub vegetation, where al., 2017). Lontra longicaudis is a of concern they are usually seen thermoregulating or resting on and international interest for conservation, currently trees branches (Oliveira and Castro, 2017; Bock et al., classified as “Near Threatened” by the International 2018). This species is an excellent swimmer, commonly Union for Conservation of Nature (Rheingantz et found crossing large rivers (Swanson, 1950). al., 2015). The fragmentation and degradation of its On 18 September 2018, an adult individual of Lontra habitats, water pollution, human hunting, roadkills longicaudis was observed stalking and capturing an adult and the construction of dams on rivers are factors of individual of Iguana iguana on the Paranã River, Paranã potential population decline for this species (Rodrigues municipality, Tocantins state, Brazil (12°41’40.16”S; et al., 2013). 47°47’11.14”W, 277 m a.s.l.). The area along the river Considered an opportunistic predator, Lontra consisted of a dense and preserved riparian forest. The longicaudis feeds on both and invertebrates, record location is in the Cerrado Biome, in the area of​​ and may eventually consume fruits (Colares and influence of the Peixe Angical hydroelectric power plant Waldemarin, 2000; Quadros and Monteiro-Filho, 2001; (HPP). During the predation event, which lasted about Sousa et al., 2013; Rosas-Ribeiro et al., 2017). Its five minutes, I. iguana had just entered the water when it was attacked by L. longicaudis, who captured the lizard with a bite on the neck, dragging it across the river (Fig. 1). With great resistance, I. iguana managed to escape, swimming to the river bank, where it quickly climbed 1 Programa de Pós-Graduação em Conservação de Recursos the dirt bank. After that, a L. longicaudis was gone, no Naturais do Cerrado (PPG CRENAC), Instituto Federal longer being observed. No nesting area of I. iguana or Goiano, Rod. Geraldo Silva Nascimento Km 2,5, Urutaí, food resources were found near the record location, Goiás 75790-000, Brazil. thus the attack could not be attributed to a behaviour of 2 Biota Projetos e Consultoria Ambiental Ltda., Goiânia, Goiás defence or competition between these species. 74083-360, Brazil. So far, no study involving Lontra longicaudis has 3 Laboratório de Herpetologia e Comportamento , reported lizards as predated or consumed by this Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás 74690-900, species. The L. longicaudis diet includes such Brazil. 4 Associação Guardiões do Cerrado, Rod. GO206, Km3, as infrataeniatus and other specimens of Serranópolis, Goiás 75820-000, Brazil. Dipsadidae (Nogueira et al., 2019), and specimens that * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] could not be identified at the family level (Colares and 492 Karla Dayane de Lima Pereira et al.

Figure 1. Lontra longicaudis preying on Iguana iguana in Paranã River, Tocantins, Brazil. Photograph by Ely Silva.

Waldemarin, 2000; Quadros and Monteiro-Filho, 2001; including reptiles (snakes, lizards and crocodiles), birds Quintela et al., 2008; Sousa et al., 2013). Besides, two and mammals, in addition to human hunting (Rivas et species of turtles have also been described as diet items al., 1998; Filipiak et al., 2012). Among the predatory (Dermatemys mawii and Trachemys venusta; Platt and carnivorous mammals of I. iguana, eight species are Rainwater, 2011). Therefore, here we report the first reported, of which six are wild (Cerdocyon thous, record of predation attempt by L. longicaudis on a large pardalis, onca, concolor, lizard (I. iguana). cancrivorus and Eira barbara) and two are The present study includes Iguana iguana in the domestic ( lupus familiaris and catus) attack list and possible diet item of Lontra longicaudis. (Chinchilla, 1997; Rivas et al., 1998; Barrio-Amorós The list of predators that attack I. iguana is numerous, and Ojeda, 2015; Loc-Barragán, 2017). Among these Predation attempted on Iguana iguana by Lontra longicaudis, Brazil 493 species, E. barbara is the only one that belongs to the Platt, S.G., Rainwater, T.R. (2011): Predation by Neotropical same family as L. longicaudis. (Lontra longicaudis) on Turtles in Belize. IUCN Otter Specialist Group Bulletin 28(1): 4–10. Quadros, J., Monteiro-Filho, E.L.A. (2001): Diet of the Neotropical Acknowledgments. We thank Dr. Natan M. Maciel for the pre- Otter, Lontra longicaudis, in an Atlantic Forest Area, Santa peer review of this manuscript. Catarina State, Southern Brazil. Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment 36(1): 15–21. References Quintela, F.M., Porciuncula, R.A., Colares, E.P. (2008): Dieta de Barrio-Amorós, C., Ojeda, R.A. (2015): Nature Note. Iguana Lontra longicaudis (Olfers) (Carnivora, Mustelidae) em um iguana. Predation. Mesoamerican Herpetology 2(1): 112–114. arroio costeiro da região sul do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Bock, B., Malone, C.L, Knapp, C., Aparicio, J., Avila-Pires, T.C.S., Brasil. Neotropical Biology and Conservation 3(3): 119–125. Cacciali, P. et al. (2018): Iguana iguana. The IUCN Red List of Rheingantz, M.L., Trinca, C.S. (2015): Lontra longicaudis. The Threatened Species 2018: e.T174481A1414646. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T12304A219 Chinchilla, F.A. (1997): La dieta del (Panthera onca), 37379. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS. el puma (Felis concolor) y el manigordo (Felis pardalis) T12304A21937379.en. Downloaded on 29 January 2020. (Carnivora: ) en el Parque Nacional Corcovado, Costa Rivas, J.A., Molina, C.R., Avila, T.M. (1998): Iguana iguana (Green Rica. Revista de Biología Tropical 45(3): 1223–1229. iguana): Juvenile predation. Herpetological Review 29(4): 238– Colares, E.P., Waldemarin, H.F. (2000): Feeding of the Neotropical 239. River Otter (Lontra longicaudis) in the Coastal Region of the Rodrigues, L.A., Leuchtenberger, C., Kasper, C.B., Junior, O.C., Rio Grande do Sul State, Southern Brazil. IUCN Otter Specialist Silva, V.C.F. (2013): Avaliação do risco de extinção da Lontra Group Bull. 17(1): 6–13. neotropical Lontra longicaudis (Olfers, 1818) no Brasil. Filipiak, D., Geisler, G., Kollarits, D., Wappl, C. (2012): Iguana Biodiversidade Brasileira 3(1): 216–227. iguana (Green Iguana). Predation. Herpetological Review 43(3): Rosas-Ribeiro, P.F., Ranulpho, R., Venticinque, E.M. (2017): 487–488. New records and update on the geographic distribution of IUCN (2020): The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Version Lontra longicaudis (Olfers, 1818) (Carnivora: Mustelidae) in 2019.3. Available at www.iucnredlist.org. [accessed on 17 Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests of northeastern Brazil. Check January 2020] List 13(3): 1–8. Loc-Barragán, J.A. (2017): Nature Note. Iguana iguana. Predation. Sousa, K.S., Bastazini, V.A.G., Colares, E.P. (2013): Feeding Mesoamerican Herpetology 4(4): 929–930. ecology of the Lontra longicaudis in the Nogueira, C.C., Argôlo, A. J. S., Arzamendia, V., Azevedo, J. Lower Arroio Grande River, southern Brazil. Anais da Academia A., Barbo, F.E., Bérnils, R.S. et al. (2019): Atlas of Brazilian Brasileira de Ciências 85(1): 285–294. snakes: verified point-locality maps to mitigate the Wallacean Swanson, P.L. (1950): The iguana: Iguana iguana iguana (L). shortfall in a megadiverse fauna. South American Journal Herpetologica 6(7): 187–193. of Herpetology, 14(sp1):1–274. Uetz, P., Freed, P., Hošek, J. (2020): The Reptile Database. Available Oliveira, J., Castro, T. (2017): Range extension of Iguana iguana at www.reptile-database.org. [accessed on 17 January 2020] Linnaeus, 1758 (Squamata: Iguanidae): the first record of an established population in southeastern Brazil. Check List 13(2): 1–4. Paglia, A.P., Fonseca, G.A.B., Rylands, A.B., Herrmann, G., Aguiar, L.M.S., Chiarello, A.G. et al. (2012): Lista Anotada dos Mamíferos do Brasil. 2ª Edição. Occasional papers in conservation biology 6: 1–76.

Accepted by Anamarija Zagar