Herpetology Notes, volume 13: 253-256 (2020) (published online on 14 March 2020) New records of predation attempt on Rhinella spp. in the Atlantic Forest: The importance of camera trap in recording species natural history Beatriz Fernandes Lima Luciano1,*, Karoline Ceron2, Daniela A. S. Bôlla1, Jairo José Zocche1, and Fernando Carvalho1 Anura is an important component of trophic There are scarce data on the predators of Rhinella chains; transfering energy from aquatic to terrestrial icterica. Some records identified arachnids as environments during its biphasic life cycle (Whiles et Ancylometes rufus (Walckenaer, 1837), Ctenus amphora al., 2006; Toledo et al., 2007). Due to the selective force Mello-Leitão, 1930, Ctenus villasboasi Mello-Leitão, imposed by predators, many species evolved chemical 1949, Theraphosa blondi (Latreille, 1804), snakes as mechanisms for defense, as those from the genus Pseudechis porphyriacus (Shaw, 1794), Thamnodynastes Rhinella Fitzinger, 1826. These species have glands at strigatus (Günther, 1858) and mammals as Chrysocyon the base of the head (paratoids), in the legs (paracnemis) brachyurus (Illiger, 1815) and Procyon cancrivorus as and in the forearm (forearm) that store bufogenines and predators of Rhinella icterica (see Rufatto et al., 2003; bufotoxins (Jared et al., 2009; Regis-Alves et al., 2017; Cortés-Gomez et al., 2015; Oliveira et al., 2017). Leal et al., 2018). Besides all these defenses, annelids, The species natural history is commonly studied in the crustaceans, arachnids and some vertebrates (Toledo et field by direct observation and recorded in photographs al., 2007; Oliveira et al., 2017) are able to cheat these and videos (Cullen et al., 2006). However, the increasing strategies and predate individuals of Rhinella spp. popularization of passive sampling equipaments, as The genus Rhinella has 92 species, most of them cameras trap, has been helping data acquisition at natural widespread in the Neotropics, from which 40 occur in habitats, mainly for medium and large size taxa (see Brazil (Segalla et al., 2016; Frost, 2019). Among them, Srbek-Araujo and Chiarello, 2007). The use of cameras Rhinella icterica (Spix, 1824) are known from Paraguay, trap in video format has also contributed to the natural Argentina and the central, southeast and south regions history studies (e.g., Galetti et al., 2016; da Silva et al., of Brazil, occurring in environments with different 2019), because it records behavior and interactions data conservation levels (Silvano et al., 2010). The species that are difficult to observe directly in the field, with the has average snout-vent length of 160 mm, and males are researcher interference. smaller and thinner than females (Lema et al., 2011). Here we described three records of predation attempt The species’ diet is composed by arthropods, mainly of Rhinella spp. Two records of Salvator merianae ants (Sabagh and Carvalho-e-Silva, 2008; Sabagh et al., (Duméril and Bibron, 1839) on a Rhinella icterica 2012). and on a Rhinella sp., and another record of Aramides saracura (Spix, 1825) on a Rhinella sp. The three records were made using cameras trap in the Atlantic Forest from southern Brazil, Santa Catarina State. The records were obtained using cameras trap from 1 Laboratório de Zoologia e Ecologia de Vertebrados da Bushnell®, installed at the ground level to sample Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, UNESC. medium and large size mammals at an Atlantic Forest Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, Av. Universitária, remnant, Municipality of Treviso, Santa Catarina State 1105, Criciúma, 88806-000, Santa Catarina, Brasil. (-28.491117°, -49.523425°). The first record occurred 2 Laboratório de Sistemática e Biogeografia de Anfíbios e Répteis – Mapinguari. Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso on 22 October 2018 at 10:27 h; and the second on 13 do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul 79070-900, January 2019 at 12:46 h. Both records were S. meriane Brazil. carrying an individual of R. icterica in the mouth * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] (Fig. 1A and B; web video available at: https://youtu. 254 Beatriz Fernandes Lima Luciano et al. Figure 1. New records of predation attempt on Rhinella spp., recorded by a camera trap from an Atlantic Forest remnant, Municipality of Treviso, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. (A) and (B) predation attempt of Rhinella icterica by Salvator merianae. (C) and (D) predation attempt of Aramides saracura on an individual of Rhinella sp. be/UHHiuatXCOU). The third record occurred on 25 as Rhinella granulosa (Spix, 1824), Rhinella diptycha September 2018 at 10:10 h, when a A. saracura was (Cope, 1862), Leptodactylus latrans (Steffen, 1815), in a marsh area banging with the beak an individual of Scinax fuscovarius (A. Lutz, 1925), and Leptodactylus Rhinella sp. (Fig. 1C and D; web video available at: natalensis Lutz, 1930 (Silva and Hillesheim, 2004; https://youtu.be/umtdk3mpQY0). During the predation Maffei et al., 2009; Almeida et al., 2015; Gavira, attempt, it is possible to identify two antipredator 2018). These data combined with our records reinforce mechanisms: body inflation and fighting (Toledo et al., the hypothesis that S. merianae is a predator of many 2011; Ferreira et al., 2019). anuran species. Salvator merianae has a generalist diet, consuming Although A. saracura is a common species in fruits, invertebrates such as annelids, gastropods, southern Brazil, little data are available on its diet. The crustaceans, coleopterans, dipterans, lepidopterans, consumption of Coleoptera and seeds (Ramos et al., hymenopterans, arachnids, and vertebrates such as 2011) had been described, but we could not find any fish, anurans, other lizards, snakes, birds and mammals report on vertebrate predation by A. saracura. We only (Kiefer and Sazima, 2002; Castro and Galetti, 2004; found data on its family Rallidae, which are omnivore, Machado, 2007; Santos and Vaz-Silva, 2012; Sazima since some species consume plant material, larvae, and D’Angelo, 2013; Silva et al., 2013; Kasperoviczus et insects, and small snakes (e.g., species of Rallus prey on al., 2015; Muscat and Moroti, 2016; Vieira et al., 2018). snakes Helicops Sick, 1997). The foraging of A. saracura There are records of predation on other Anura species near overfload areas may increase opportunities to New records of predation attempt on Rhinella spp. in the Atlantic Forest 255 predate anurans. The potential of A. saracura as an Kasperoviczus, K.N., Krüger, A.C., Marques, O.A.V. (2015): An anuran predator will only be confirmed by robust data elongated meal: the tegu lizard Salvator merianae eats snakes on its diet. All the three records reported here were and amphisbaenians. Herpetology Notes 8: 21–23. Kiefer, M.C., Sazima, I. (2002): Diet of juvenile tegu lizard obtained occasionally, since the sampling focus were Tupinambis merianae (Teiidae) in southearstern Brazil. medium and large size mammals. These records show Amphibia-Reptilia 23: 105–108. the importance of using passive sampling methods as Leal, A.P., Oliveira, R.S., Perin, A.P.A., Borges, B.T., Vieira, P.B., cameras trap in detailing species natural history. Santos, T.G., Vinadé, L., Valsecchi, C., Dal Belo, C.A. (2018): Entomotoxic activity of Rhinella icterica (Spix, 1824) toad skin Acknowledgments. We are thankful to Fundação de Amparo secretion in Nauphoeta cinerea cockroaches: An octopamine- à Pesquisa e Inovação do Estado de Santa Catarina by the like modulation. Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology 148: financial support (grant nº 2017TR1706), to Conselho Nacional 175–181. de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico to the scholarships Lema, T., Martins, L.A. (2011): Anfíbios do Rio Grande do Sul: awarded by IHDM, to Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Catálogo, Diagnoses, Distribuição, Iconografia. Porto Alegre, Pessoal de Nível Superior to the scholarships awarded by BFLL Brazil, Editora Universitária da PUCRS. and, to Fundação de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento do Ensino, Machado, R.A. (2007): Natural history notes. Tupinambis Ciência e Tecnologia do Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul for merianae. Diet. Herpetological Review 38: 84. scholarship awarded by KC (process nº 71/700.146/2017). Maffei, F., Ubaid, F.K., Medolago, C.A.B., Jim, J. (2009): Natural history notes. Tupinambis merianae (Common Tegu). Diet. Herpetological Review 40: 439. References Muscat, E., Moroti, M.T. (2016): Predation of Rhinella ornata Almeida, R.P.S., Lima, J.M., Dias, E.J.R. (2015): Natural history (Anura: Bufonidae) by the water snake Erythrolamprus miliaris notes. Salvator merianae (tegu). Diet. Herpetological Review (Squamata: Dipsadidae) in São Paulo, Brazil. Herpetological 46: 436. Bulletin 135: 36–37. Castro, E.R., Galetti, M. (2004): Frugivoria e dispersão de sementes Oliveira, S.R., Fachi, M.B., Silva, D.A., Morais, A.R. (2017): pelo lagarto teiú Tupinambis merianae (Reptilia: Teiidae). Predation on Rhinella mirandaribeiroi (Gallardo, 1965) (Anura; Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 44: 91–97. Bufonidae) by a Neotropical snake, including a list with Cortés-Gomez, A.M., Ruiz-Agudelo, C.A., Valencia-Aguilar, predation events for species of the genus Rhinella. Herpetology A., Ladle, R.J. (2015): Ecological functions of neotropical Notes 10: 151–155. amphibians and reptiles: a review. Universitas Scientiarum 20: Ramos, C.C.O., Benedito, E., Zawadzki, C.H. (2011): Dieta e 229–245. conteúdo calórico de aves atropeladas na região central do Cullen Jr, L., Rudran, R., Valladares-Padua, C. (2006): Métodos estado do Paraná, Brasil. Biotemas 24: 153–170. em Estudos em Biologia da Conservação & Manejo da Vida Regis-Alves, E., Jared, S.G.S., Maurício, B., Mailho-Fontana, Silvestre. Paraná, Brasil, Second Revised Edition. Curitiba, P.L., Antoniazzi, M.M., Fleury-Curado, M.C., Brodie Jr., E.D., Brazil, Editora UFPR. Jared, C. (2017): Structural cutaneous adaptations for defense da Silva, V.L., Cândido, J., Campanha, J.N., de Oliveira, D.R., in toad (Rhinella icterica) parotoid macroglands. Toxicon 137: Gheler-Costa, C., Oda, F.H. (2019): A stranger in the family? 128–134. On the social behavior of a leucistic collared peccary (Pecari Rufatto, R., Di Bernardo, M., Maschio, G.F.