INVESTIGADORES
SEMHAN romina Valeria
artículos
Título:
Chemical Prey Discrimination of Termites in Amphisbaena heterozonata (Reptilia: Squamata) a Learned Trait?
Autor/es:
SEMHAN, ROMINA V.; HALLOY, MONIQUE; MONTERO, RICARDO
Revista:
JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY
Editorial:
SOC STUDY AMPHIBIANS REPTILES
Referencias:
Año: 2010 vol. 44 p. 489 - 492
ISSN:
0022-1511
Resumen:
Little is known about the diet of many amphisbaenians and even less about their prey
preferences in part because of their fossorial habits. We used the tongue-flicking behavior of an
amphisbaenian, Amphisbaena heterozonata, an apparently opportunistic feeder, to investigate its ability to
discriminate among three prey items: termites (fed in captivity), tenebrionid larvae, and earthworms. We
tested 16 individuals, placing each one in a glass tube, in a room lighted only with a red light to simulate
fossorial conditions. Stimuli were presented on cotton swabs impregnated with the smell of a prey, using
distilled water as control. Two experiments were conducted: in the first, the amphisbaenians had not eaten
one week prior to starting the experiment; and in the second, they had not eaten two weeks prior to it. The
number of tongue flicks per minute and latencies to the first tongue flick were recorded. The
amphisbaenians made significantly more tongue flicks to termites than to the water control in both
experiments. In addition, latencies were significantly shorter toward termites than toward water. The results
show that A. heterozonata could clearly discriminate, based on chemical stimuli, between termites, one of the
prey items they feed on in the field and on which they were fed in captivity, and water. Other comparisons
among prey items and the water control were nonsignificant except in two cases during the second
experiment. Considering that this species is most likely a generalistopportunistic feeder, the results may
indicate that the response was learned based on its year-long termite-exclusive diet.