Hundred legs good, two fangs better: adult centipede (Scolopendridae) devoured by a juvenile Amazon lancehead, Bothrops atrox (Viperidae)

Abstract

ABSTRACT Centipedes are part of the diet of several snake species of the genus Bothrops. However, reports on predation of centipedes by snakes are normally incomplete, and important data for natural history studies as the species identification and size of the prey are rarely published. The aim of this work was to report the presence of the centipede Scolopendra viridicornis in the digestive tract of the Amazon pit viper B. atrox. The snake specimen is an immature female from Aripuanã, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, having a 623 mm snout-vent length. The centipede is an adult Scolopendra viridicornis, estimated to be 190 mm long, and found in the snake's stomach. The success in preying on this large and potentially dangerous centipede could be explained by the snake's dimensions, large enough for overpowering the prey, but still retaining characteristics of youth, such as venom with specific action against specific prey items.

Keywords

• Diet
• ectothermic prey
• Scolopendra