Presence of red fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) in broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris).

PARACHÚ MARCÓ, M.V.; PIÑA, C.I.

Santa Cruz de las Sierras

Congreso; 19th Working Meeting of the IUCN-SSC Crocodile Specialist Group.; 2008

Grupo de Especialistas en Cocodrilos (CSG).

Sustainability of crocodilian ranching programs is based on the high losses of both eggs and hatchlings. Solenopsis invicta (Red Fire Ant - RFA) infestations on Caiman nests were related to a possible cause of the death of hatchlings before they can leave the nest, but this aspect was not studied in the original distribution of this ant. Our goal in this work was to analyze the proportion of Caiman latirostris nests infested with RFA during the last four nesting seasons. In order to know the amount of infested nests, we search for RFA in wild caiman’s nests during the entire nesting season. We observed that the proportion of infested nests increased as the season advanced, and by the last month, of incubation the infection was as high as 50%.