Diet and Feeding Ecology of Crotalus tzabcan (Serpentes: Viperidae)

Autor(es)

Carbajal-Marquez, Ruben A. ^[1] ; Rogelio Cedeno-Vazquez, J. ^[1] ; Gonzalez-Solis, David ^[1] ; Martins, Marcio ^[2]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Colegio Frontera Sur, Dept Sistemat & Ecol Acuat, Unidad Chetumal, Av Centenario Km 5-5, Chetmal 77014, Quintana Roo - Mexico

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Biociencias, Dept Ecol, BR-05508090 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: South American Journal of Herpetology; v. 15, p. 9-19, APR 2020.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

The Tzabcan rattlesnake (Crotalus tzabcan) is endemic to the Yucatan Peninsula and is part of the C. durissus complex. Although relatively widespread, it is rather an uncommon species; therefore, little is known about its natural history. Herein, we describe the diet of C. tzabcan on the basis of data from field encounters, museum specimens, and published data. Dietary samples were collected from Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatan, Mexico, and literature records from Belize, representing most of the species' distribution range. Examination of 50 individuals resulted in 28 prey items obtained from 27 snakes. The diet of C. tzabcan consisted exclusively of mammals, including the orders Rodentia (86% of the prey items) and Soricomorpha (7%), and no ontogenetic shift in prey type was detected. However, an ontogenetic telescope is evident, where adults consume larger prey than juveniles but continue feeding on small prey. No sexual dimorphism in snout-vent length and total length was detected in C. tzabcan. No sexual differences in prey mass were found when controlling for snake body length, nor when comparing between sexes in adults and juveniles. The presence of prey was not related to snake collection date, suggesting year-round feeding. There was no difference in prey class and size among snakes from Yucatan dry forest and moist forest. These results suggest a homogenous diet among sexes, seasons, and populations. This is the first detailed study on the diet and feeding ecology of C. tzabcan, and it adds five new prey species: Cryptotys mayensis, Heteromys desmarestianus, H. gaumeri, Oryzomys couesi, and Rattus rattus, as well as two previously reported ones: Mus musculus and Sigmodon toltecus. These findings contrast with anecdotal reports of C. tzabcan consuming reptiles and birds and show many similarities with the related species C. durissus. Additional studies on the natural history of C. tzabcan and related species would help to better understand how the feeding ecology of Neotropical rattlesnakes differs from those species of temperate zones. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 10/50146-3 - Padrões de história natural e distribuição de anfíbios e répteis como base para estudos de ecologia, evolução e conservação
• Beneficiário: Marcio Roberto Costa Martins
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 15/21259-8 - Estrutura de taxocenoses de anfíbios, répteis e pequenos mamíferos no Cerrado: o papel de fatores locais e regionais
• Beneficiário: Marcio Roberto Costa Martins
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular