INVESTIGADORES
CALCATERRA Luis Alberto
artículos
Título:
Ant diversity in the diet of giant anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla (Pilosa: Myrmecophagidae), reintroduced in the Iberá Nature Reserve, Argentina
Autor/es:
JIMÉNEZ, NADIA; DI BLANCO, YAMIL; CALCATERRA, LUIS
Revista:
MASTOZOOLOGíA NEOTROPICAL
Editorial:
UNIDAD DE ZOOLOGÍA Y ECOLOGÍA ANIMAL, INSTITUTO ARGENTINO DE INVESTIGACIÓN DE LAS ZONAS ARIDAS, CRICYT, CONICET
Referencias:
Lugar: Mendoza; Año: 2018
ISSN:
0327-9383
Resumen:
The giant anteater, Myrmecophaga tridactyla, globally categorized as a vulnerable species, has disappeared in several regions of its original distribution in Argentina. A program to reintroduce the species has been conducted in the Iberá Nature Reserve in Corrientes province since 2006. The diet of released giant anteaters was studied to determine the identity of their prey, and if they have preference for ants or termites, or feeding habitats (open or closed). Twenty two fecal samples were randomly collected during 2008-2013, and heads and mesosomes were recovered. They were identified in 12 taxa of ants and only one taxon of termites. Observed taxa represent around 80% of the taxa expected to be eaten by anteaters. Camponotus was the most common ant genus, and Acromyrmex and Solenopsis were the numerically most abundant genera. The ant taxa ingested by M. tridactyla were positively related to that naturally available in the area, suggesting that giant anteaters had no preference for any particular preys. They mainly consumed ant species with conspicuous nests of Solenopsis, Camponotus and Acromyrmex that occur mostly in open habitats of the reserve and not in the most preferred habitat (forest). One possible explanation is that due to the high availability of these preys, anteaters reduce their foraging search time, and consequently the time they are out in open habitats, so avoiding predation risk and thermal injuries. Thus, conservation of both open and closed habitats would be essential for the maintaining of the reintroduced populations of giant anteaters.