Herpetology Notes, volume 11: 863-864 (2018) (published online on 15 October 2018) Notes on the diet of Limnomedusa macroglossa (Alsodidae, Anura) in Uruguay Renata Perez1,*, Jéssica Francine Felappi1, and Fabiane de Oliveira Noronha1 Limnomedusa macroglossa (Duméril and Bibron, Anurans represent 6% of scorpion’s predators (Polis 1841) is a medium-sized species, males with 42–53mm et al., 1981; McCormick and Polis, 1990) with at snout-vent length (SVL) and females 42–62 mm, and least 14 scorpion species recorded in their diet (Polis present terrestrial or semi-fossorial habits, usually living et al., 1981; Lourenço et al., 1997; Botero-Trujillo, along rocky outcrops and streambeds (Kwet et al., 2010; 2006; Maia-Carneiro et al., 2012; Pueta and Perotti, Maneyro et al., 2017). The species is distributed in 2013). Apparently, large terrestrial anurans can feed southern Brazil, from Paraná to Rio Grande do Sul states, extensively on scorpions (Lourenço and Cuelar, 1995), northern Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay (Langone, and represent active predators and effective means of 1995; Winck et al., 2006; Conte et al., 2009; Kwet et al., population control (Lourenço et al., 1997). Nevertheless, 2010; Maneyro and Carreira, 2012). According to the some studies in anuran’s diet could not correctly identify IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Limnomedusa the scorpions’ species and usually represent them within macroglossa is classified as Least Concern (Silvano et Arachnidae (Maragno and Souza, 2011). That could al., 2004). This species is found in almost all Uruguay underestimate the scorpion’s predation within anuran territory, associated to rocky outcrops and small water species. courses, with males usually calling at the water edge As most of anurans, Alsodidae species mainly predate or partially submerged (Langone, 1995; Winck et al., on invertebrates (Alveal et al., 2015). However they are 2006; Maneyro and Carreira, 2012). Some studies have poorly known about their feeding habits, for example, reported information about the reproductive biology of Alsodes coppingeri (Günther, 1881) feeds about the species (see Gudynas and Gehrau, 1981; Langone 22 categories of preys, with Araneae the third most and Prigioni, 1985; Kaefer et al., 2009) however, there represented (Alveal et al., 2015). Despite Maneyro and are no studies regarding its diet, although Maneyro and Carreira (2012) suggested an insectivorous habit. In June 2011, an adult male of Limnomedusa macroglossa (SVL: 49.5 mm, Fig. 1) was found under a rock in an outcrop next to a brook, near Zapucay, Tacuarembó Department, Uruguay (31°47’33.29’’S , 55°18’54.20’’W). Due to its remarkable stomach volume, the specimen was dissected and two whole scorpions (Urophonius sp., total length: 30.40 mm and 30.60 mm) were found in it. 1 Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Animal. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Campus do Vale, Agronomia, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Figure 1. Limnomedusa macroglossa (RML 2584), * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] Tacuarembó, Uruguay. Photo by J. F. Felappi. 864 Renata Perez et al. Carreira (2012) reported insect larvae, orthopterans, Maneyro, R., Carreira, S. (2012): Guía de anfibios del Uruguay. coleopterans and ants, the present study represents the Montevideo, Ediciones de La Fuga, p. 207. first published record of Limnomedusa macroglossa Maneyro, R., Loebmann, D., Tozetti, A., Fonte, L.F.M. (2017): Anfíbios das planícies costeiras do extremo sul do Brasil e diet and the first observation of scorpion’s predations Uruguai. 6ão Paulo, p. 176. for Alsodidae family. Maragno, F.P., Souza, F.L. (2011): Diet of Rhinella scitula (Anura, Bufonidae) in the Cerrado, Brazil: the importance of seasons and Acknowledgements. We thank Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento body size. 5evista Mexicana de Biodiversidad 82: 879–886. de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) for the grant conceded. McCormick, S.J., Polis, G.A. (1990): Prey, predators, and parasites. In: The Biology of Scorpions p. 294–320. Polis, G.A. Ed, References Stanford: Stanford University Press. Polis, G.A., Sissom, W.D., McCormick, S.J. (1981): Predators of Alveal, N., Díaz-Páez, H., Henríquez, A., Vergara, O. (2015): scorpions: field data and a review. Journal of Arid Environments Aspectos dietarios de Alsodes coppingeri Günther, 1881 (Anura: 4: 309–326. Alsodidae) en Chile. Gayana 79 (1): 5–10. Pueta, M., Perotti, M.G. (2013): Feeding habits of juvenile Botero-Trujillo, R. (2006): Anuran predators of scorpions: Bufo Chacophrys pierottii (Ceratophryidae-ceratophryinae) from marinus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Anura: Bufonidae), first known northwestern Córdoba Province, Argentina. Herpetological natural enemy of Tityus nematochirus Mello-Leitão, 1940 Conservation and Biology 8 (2): 376–384. (Scorpiones: Buthidae). RevistaIbérica de Aracnología 13: Silvano, D., Garcia, P., Kwet, A., Segalla, M.V., Langone, J., 199–202. Baldo, D. (2004). Limnomedusa macroglossa. The IUCN Red Conte, C.E., Garey, M.V., Lingnau, R., Silva, M.X., Armstrong, List of Threatened Species 2004. Available at http://dx.doi. C.G., Hartmann, M.T. (2009): Amphibia, Anura, Limnomedusa org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T57176A11580028.en macroglossa, Dendropsophus anceps, D. berthalutzae, D. Accessed on June 2017. seniculus, Scinax littoralis: new state records, distribution Winck, G.R., Maragno, F.P., Cechin, S.Z. (2006): Amphibia, extension and filling gaps. Check List 5 (2): 202–209. Anura, Leptodactylidae, Limnomedusa macroglossa: Gudynas, E., Gehrau, A. (1981): Notas sobre la distribución y distribution extension in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Check ecología de Limnomedusa macroglossa (Duméril&Bibron, List 2: 53–54. 1841) en Uruguay (Anura, Leptodactylidae). Iheringia Série Zoológica 60: 81–99.–. Günther, A.C.L.G. (1881): Account of the zoological collections made collected during the survey of H.M.S. “Alert” in the Straits of Magellan land on the coast of Patagonia. III. Reptiles, batrachians, and fishes. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1881: 18–22. Kaefer, I.L., Both, C., Cechin, S.Z. (2009): Breeding biology of the rapids frog Limnomedusa macroglossa (Anura: Cycloramphidae) in southern Brazil. Journal of Natural History 43: 1195–1206. Kwet, A., Lingnau, R., Di-Bernardo, M. (2010): Pró-Mata: Anfíbios da Serra Gaúcha, sul do Brasil – Amphibien der Serra Gaúcha, Südbrasilien – Amphibians of the Serra Gaúcha, South of Brazil. – Brasilien-Zentrum, University of Tübingen, Germany. 148p. Langone, J.A., Prigoni, C.M. (1985): Observaciones sobre uma puesta de Limnomedusa macroglossa (Anura: Leptodactylidae). Acta Jornadas de Zoologia del Uruguay 1: 83–86. Langone, J.A. (1995): Ranas y sapos del Uruguay (Reconocimiento y aspectos biológicos). Serie Divulgación. Museo Damaso Antonio Larrañaga. Intendencia Municipal de Montevideo. Lourenço, W.R., Cuellar, O. (1995): Neotropical frog Leptodactylus pentadactylus eats scorpions. $lytes 12 (4): 191–192. Lourenço, W.R., Glaw, F., Cloudlsey-Thompson, J.L., Vences, M. (1997): The Madagascar frog Phethodatohyla inguinalis eats scorpions. British Herpetological Society Bulletin 60: 26–28. Maia-Carneiro, T., Dorigo, T.A., Almeida-Gomes, M., Van Sluys, M., Rocha, C.F.D. (2012): Feeding habits, microhabitat use, and daily activity of Cycloramphus brasiliensis (Anura: Cycloramphidae) from the Atlantic Rainforest, Brazil. Zoologia Accepted by Diego Santana 29 (3): 277–279..