Helicops leopardinus (Leopard Keelback) and Philodryas olfersii latirostris (Lichtensteins Green Racer).

RUIZ-GARCIA, JOSE L.; ROMERO, VERONICA L.; NATALINI, BELEN M.

Herpetological Review

SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES

Año: 2020

0018-084X

This fox was accompanied by an adult female; however we do not observe cooperative hunting behavior. On 24 July 2016, at 1955 h in Iberá National Park, San Miguel Department, Corrientes Province, Argentina (28.1430˚S, 57.4401°W, WGS84), we observed three juvenil of C. thous, one of them captured an adult snake of H. leopardinus (SVL=425 mm, tail lenght=139 mm), when he saw, the fox released the dead snake from its mouth and retreated (Fig.1B). At 1130 h on 23 April 2017 on the Provincial route 5 (27.7502°S, 57.9831°W, WGS84) to 22 km of Lomas de Vallejos, General Paz Department, Corrientes Province, Argentina, we found a adult female road-killed individual of C. thous. During the necropsy we found an adult snake of H. leopardinus partly digested in the stomach (Fig.1C). On 02 November 2017, at 1345 h in Mburucuyá National Park (28.0173°S, 58.0270°W, WGS84), we observed a couple of C. thous, the female hunted an adult snake of P. o. latirostris. Intake of the prey started from the head and the ingestion process lasted approximately five minutes, the fox does not eat the tail of the snake, this event lasted approximately five minutes. (Fig.1D). Our records are important evidence of snakes in the diet of C. thous as other prey resource of animal protein.