Herpetology Notes, volume 11: 975�976 (2018� (publis�ed online on 19 November 2018� Predation on Spix’s whiptail Ameivula ocellifera (Spix, 1825) by the �err��ino�s Py��y�owl Glaucidium brasilianum (G�elin, 1788) in northeastern Brazil Was�ington Luiz Silva Vieira1,*, Dandara Monalisa Mariz Bezerra2, and Kleber Silva Vieira3 Lizards are food source for many birds, including owls During an avifaunal survey on 06 January 2011 at 16:00 (Poulin et al., 2001; Sick, 2001; Carrera et al., 2008; � , at t�e Sítio Mal�ada da Pedra, Serra Negra do Norte Gomes, 2013�. The �erruginous Pygmy�owl Glaucidium Municipality, Rio Grande do Norte State, nort�eastern brasilianum (Gmelin, 1788�, wit� approximately 16.5 cm Brazil (ca. �6.616414°S, �37.365461°W�, we observed body lengt�, displays nocturnal/diurnal be�aviour and some species of passerine birds emitting alarm calls. At � as a diet composed principally of art�ropods and small t �at time, we also observed an adult G. brasilianum on vertebrates, including amp�ibians, reptiles, mammals, a branc� of a nearby tree (Anadenanthera colubrina� and ot�er birds (Sick, 2001�. The species in�abits a wide �olding in its talons a partially consumed A. ocellifera variety of �abitats and is widely distributed, occurring (�ig. 1�. from Arizona (USA� to Argentina, and t�roug�out all of Records on predation of w�iptail lizards by birds Brazil (Sick, 2001; Perlo, 2009; Birdlife International, are scarce. Proudfoot and Beason (1997� reported 2017�. on t�e predation of �exas spotted w�iptail lizards, Lizards of t�e genus Ameivula are currently represented Cnemidophorus scalaris (as Aspidoscelis scalaris�, by by 11 species t�at are widely distributed in Sout� America (e.g., Arias et al., 2011; Harvey et al., 2012�. Spix’s w�iptail, Ameivula ocellifera (Spix, 1825�, is quite common in areas of Atlantic �orest, Caatinga (dryland vegetation�, Cerrado (Neotropical savannah), and Restingas (sandy, coastal vegetation� in Brazil (Vanzolini et al., 1980; Roc�a et al., 2000; Santana et al., 2008, 2010�. In t�is paper, we report a predation event on A. ocellifera by Glaucidium brasilianum in an area of s�rub Caatinga vegetation in t�e semiarid region of nort�eastern Brazil. 1 Laboratório de Ecofisiologia Animal, Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, Universidade �ederal da Paraíba, Campus I, João Pessoa, Paraíba 58059�970, Brazil. 2 Instituto �ederal de Educação, Ciência e �ecnologia da Paraíba, Campus Itabaiana. Itabaiana, Paraíba 58360�000, Brazil. 3 Departamento de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campina Grande, Paraíba �igure 1. A �erruginous Pygmy�owl (Glaucidium brasilianum� 58109�753, Brazil. preying on an adult male Spix’s w�iptail (Ameivula ocellifera�. * Corresponding aut�or. E�mail: wlsvieira�ya�oo.com.br P�otograp� by Dandara M.M. Bezerra. 976 Was�ington Luiz Silva Vieira et al. a G. brasilianum in a forested area in sout�ern �exas, Life History, p. 1–152. Gans, C., Huey R.B., Eds., New York, USA, and Almeida et al. (2013� reported a predation USA, Wiley. attack by a great egret (Ardea alba� on A. ocellifera Harvey, M.B., Ugueto, G.N., Gutberlet Jr., R.L. (2012�: Review of teiid morp�ology wit� a revised taxonomy and p�ylogeny of t�e on a sand dune beac� complex in nort�eastern Brazil. � eiidae (Lepidosauria: Squamata�. Zootaxa 3459: 1–156. Glaucidium brasilianum is a generalist predator t�at Perlo, B.V. (2009�: A �ield Guide to t�e Birds of Brazil. New consumes invertebrates and small vertebrates (Proudfoot York, USA, Oxford University Press. and Beason, 1997; Sick, 2001�. Diet analyses of t�is Poug �, �.H., Andrews, R., Crump, M.L, Savitzky, A.H., Wells, species �ave found it to consume insects, amp�ibians, K.D., Brandley, M.C. (2016�: Herpetology, �ourt� Edition. reptiles, birds, and mammals (Proudfoot and Beason, Sunderland, USA, Sinauer Associates, Inc. 1997; Carrera et al., 2008�. A study undertaken in an Poulin, B., Lefebvre, G., Ibáñez, R., Jaramillo, C., Hernández, C., Rand, A.S. (2001�: Avian predation upon lizards and frogs in a area of subtropical dry�forest in t�e “Gran C�aco” neotropical forest understory. Journal of �ropical Ecology 17: ecoregion in nort�ern Argentina demonstrated t�at t�e 21–40. relative weig�t of prey consumed by G. brasilianum Proudfoot, G.A., Beason, S.L. (1997�: �ood �abits of nesting was 50% birds, 41% mammals, and 8% lizards (Carrera � erruginous Pygmy�Owls in sout�ern �exas. Wilson Bulletin et al., 2008�. ��ese aut�ors recorded in t�e owl’s diet 109: 741–748. individuals of Spiny lava lizard (Tropidurus spinulosus�, Roc �a, C.�.D., Bamberg, A.A.�., Vrcibradic, D., Costa, E.M.M., � our�toed tegu (Teius teyou� and Brazilian bus� anole Price, A.H. (2000�: New Cnemidophorus (Squamata; �eiidae� from coastal Rio de Janeiro state, sout�eastern Brazil. Copeia (Polychrus acutirostris�. 2000: 501–509. Predation of lizards by birds is probably opportunistic Santana, G.G., Vieira, W.L.S, Pereira��il�o, G.A, Delfim, �.R., (i.e., w�en t�e predator �as a generalist diet and Lima, Y.C.C., Vieira, K.S. (2008�: Herpetofauna em um eventually feed on lizards�, similar to predation by birds fragmento de �loresta Atlântica no estado da Paraíba, Região on amp�ibians (e.g., �oledo et al., 2007�. ��e predation Nordeste do Brasil. Biotemas 21: 75–84. of G. brasilianum on A. ocellifera can be considered Santana, G.G., Vasconcellos, A., Gadel�a, Y.E.A, Vieira, W.L.S, an opportunistic event. Alt�oug� reptiles �ad only low Almeida, W.O., Nóbrega, R.P., Alves, R.R.N (2010�: �eeding � abits, sexual dimorp�ism and size at maturity of t�e lizard representation in t�e diet of G. brasilianum in t�e study Cnemidophorus ocellifer (Spix, 1825� (�eiidae� in a reforested by Carrera et al. (2008�, small and medium�sized lizards restinga �abitat in nort�eastern Brazil. Brazilian Journal of are common elements of t�e diets of a large variety of Biology 70: 409–416. animals (e.g., Greene, 1988; Vieira et al., 2012; Poug� Sick, H. (2001�: Ornitologia Brasileira, Second Edition. Rio de et al., 2016� and constitute an important food source for Janeiro, Brazil, Editora Nova �ronteira. various strigiform and ot�er birds (e.g., Passeriformes� � oledo, L.�., Ribeiro, R.S., Haddad, C.�.B. 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