Resource partition in five species of sympatric snakes from central eastern Argentina.

DI PIETRO D.; WILLIAMS J; CABREAR R M; ALCALDE LEANDRO; CAJADE R.; KACOLIRIRS F

ANAIS DA ACADEMIA BRASILEIRA DE CIENCIAS.

ACAD BRASILEIRA DE CIENCIAS

Año: 2018

0001-3765

Two dimensions of the ecological niche (diet and habitat) of a snake assemblage from anendemic rich area in east-central Argentina, the Sierras de Ventania mountain chain, were analysed. Field data collection was performed in 15-week study periods between 2010 and 2014.Snakes were hand-captured using transect surveys. Field observations on diet were analysedtogether with stomach content data from museum specimens. Our results support the partitioningof the snake assemblage by both habitat use and diet into at least three functional groups: speciesrestricted to microhabitats under rocks and with a diet composed exclusively of ants (Epictiaaustralis); species found mostly in stream microhabitats and feeding mainly upon anurans(Erythrolamprus poecilogyrus and Lygophis elegantissimus); and species found mostly ingrassland microhabitats, with specialised diets of terrestrial prey items (Philodryas patagoniensisand Bothrops alternatus). Consistent with previous work, diet was more important than habitat inexplaining ecological niche partitioning of this snake assemblage. Our results show that highoverlap values of microhabitat use were compensated by low overlap values of the trophic nichedimension, thus matching the traditional complementary niches hypothesis.