Philodryas patagoniensis (Patagonian Green Racer). Predation

BRIZIO, MARÍA VICTORIA; AVILA, LUCIANO JAVIER

HERPETOLOGICAL REVIEW

Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles

Año: 2019 vol. 50

0018-084X

Philodryas patagoniensis is a mid-sized, diurnal,and predominantly terrestrial snake inhabiting open areas suchas savannahs and grasslands (Cei 1993. Reptiles del Noroeste, Nordeste y Este de la Argentina. Herpetofauna de las SelvasSubtropicales, Puna y Pampas. Mus. Reg. Sci. Nat. Torino. 945pp.; López and Giraudo 2008. J. Herpetol. 42:474?480). Althoughit is a widely distributed in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, easternBolivia, and Uruguay (Giraudo and Scrocchi 2002. SmithsonianHerpetological Information Service 132:1?53), there are onlyfew published studies on the ecology or natural history of P.patagoniensis. Here we report the first observation of predationon P. patagoniensis by a Chimango Caracara (Milvago chimango).At 1235 h on 16 November 2018, during a photographiccampaign in Monte Hermoso, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina(38.9655°S, 61.3201°W; WGS 84; 11 m elev.), we observed aChimango Caracara flying away with a P. patagoniensis in itsclaws. Due to strong wind, the bird dropped the snake andcontinued flying (Fig. 1A). However, after a few minutes theChimango Caracara returned and collected its prey (Fig. 1B).