Sibynomorphus neuwiedi (Ihering, 1911) (Serpentes; Dipsadidae) and Potamojanuarius lamellatus (Semper, 1885) (Gastropoda; Veronicellidae): a trophic relationship revealed

Abstract

The Dispsadidae serpents from the genus Sibynomorphus are restricted to South America and include twelve species currently known, which occur in Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and Ecuador. Sibynomorphus neuwiedi is a species endemic to forested areas of the Atlantic Rainforest biome, and it is specialized in eating gastropods. Eight adult individuals of S. neuwiedi were collected between April 1998 and June 2003 at the surroundings of the Vila dos Dois Rios village (23°11’S, 44°12’W), in the Parque Estadual da Ilha Grande, in the municipality of Angra dos Reis, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In the laboratory, we dissected their stomachs for analysis of its contents. We found prey in four of them (50%), all represented by the slug Potamojanuarius lamellatus (Veronicellidae), and four individuals had empty stomach. The consumption of slugs from the Family Veronicellidae by serpents from the tribe Dipsadini has been reported, nevertheless, we report the occurrence of P. lamellatus in the diet of S. neuwiedi for the first time.

Keywords

• Gastropods
• Malacophagy
• Predation
• Serpents
• Slug