Liophis dilepis (Lema’s Ground Snake) and Philodryas olfersii latirostris (Lichtenstein’s Green Racer). BROMELIAD REFUGIA.

SCHAEFER, E. F.; DURÉ, M. I.

HERPETOLOGICAL REVIEW

Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles SSAR

Año: 2011 vol. 42 p. 616 - 617

0018-084X

Liophis dilepis is colubrid species with a disjunct distribution, including Caatinga and Cerrado areas in northeastern and southern Brazil, Chaco areas of Paraguay, northern Argentina, and southern Bolivia. In Argentina and southern Paraguay, the species inhabits savannas, xerophilous and semi-xerophilous forests in the Chaco biogeographic province. Philodryas olfersii is a colubrid snake that is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical areas of cis-Andean South America from the Guiana, Venezuela and Colombia, to subtropical areas of Argentina and Uruguay. In Argentin, a P. o. latirostris is found in the humid Chaco phytogeographical region and other mesophytic vegetation and gallery forests along the Paraná river.       We conducted periodic diurnal surveys to investigate the fauna associated with colonies of Aechmea distichantha (Bromeliaceae) at El Perichón, 10 km northeast from Corrientes City, Argentina (-27.4321111ºS; -58.7466111ºW, datum: WGS84). The area is included within the Chacoan Domain, Oriental Chaco District, and is characterized by the presence of numerous temporary, semi-permanent, and permanent water bodies. The original plant community at the study site was Schinopsis balansae “quebracho” forest, which is currently extremely degraded and largely replaced by sclerophyllous forest with prevalence of Prosopis affinis, Prosopis nigra, Acacia caven , Celtis spp. and numerous colonies of Aechmea distichantha and Bromelia spp  On 1 October 2007, at 1726 h, we found an adult L. dilepis inside a leaf axilla of A. distichantha (Fig. 1A). Six days before, on 27 September 2007, at 1900 h, within another A. disctichantha colony within sampling area, we discovered an adult P. o. latirostris hidden inside the bromeliad axil (Fig 1B). Considering that these snakes were hidden in hours around evening it is possible that they use the axils of Aechmea distichantha as a nocturnal shelter. It is also important to note that bromeliad axils have the capacity to store water for long periods and are used by several amphibian species. Thus, these plants may provide snakes abundant food in addition to shelter.