Predação de fêmeas adultas de Podocnemis expansa Schweigger (Testudines, Podocnemididae) por Panthera onca Linnaeus (Carnivora, Felidae), no Estado do Tocantins

SALERA JR., G.; PORTELINHA, T.C.G.; MALVASIO, A.

BIOTA NEOTROPICA

BIOTA/FAPESP

Año: 2009 vol. 9 p. 1 - 1

1676-0603

Podocnemis expansa (Amazonian giant River turtle) is the largest and more important representative of the Amazonian turtle’s fauna because their economic importance as food resource to the indigenous and riverine populations. Aspects related to their reproductive biology, and natural predation of adults in its habitat are poorly known. In order to estimate the predation rates of females of P. expansa we have registered the number of turtles with signs of been killed by Panthera onca (jaguar) in a River of the Brazilian Amazon. Jaguar was the only predator of the adult females of P. expansa in the Javaés River beaches (Tocantins State), predating about 3.66% of the females (33 of 901). Predation always happens at night, when females leave water in order to nest.