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Micrurus pyrrhocryptus. Feeding Habits.

Article in Herpetological Review · September 2019

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518 HERPETOCULTURE

Thanks are extended to the Tortoise Trust UK, Netherlands hope that this note proves useful for researchers searching for a
Enterprise Agency (permits 14NL220398/20 and 65463), and reliable, non-invasive, and cost-effective method to collect fe-
CapeNature in South Africa (permits AAA004-00010-0035 and cal samples from lizards.
058679) for enabling this study. Work was conducted under Arizona Fish and Game permits
VICTOR J. T. LOEHR, Dwarf Tortoise Conservation, Kwikstaartpad 1, #SP607685 and SP625672.
3403ZH IJsselstein, Netherlands; e-mail: [email protected]. EARYN McGEE, University of Arizona, RM 318, 1064 E Lowell St., Tuc-
son, Arizona 85719, USA (e-mail: [email protected]); SAR-
SQUAMATA — LIZARDS AH MANKA-WORTHINGTON, Indiana State University, 600 N Chestnut
St., Science Building, RM 348 (e-mail: [email protected].
SCELOPORUS JARROVII (Yarrow’s Spiny Lizard). NOVEL FE- edu); MICHAEL BOGAN, University of Arizona, RM 318, 1064 E Lowell St.,
CAL COLLECTION TECHNIQUE. Previous literature does Tucson, Arizona 85719, USA (e-mail: [email protected]).
not provide detailed descriptions of fecal collection methods
from lizards, other than to massage their bellies (Jorge 2013. SQUAMATA — SNAKES
Parasitol. Res. 112:4001–4007; Dodd 2016. In Reptile Ecology
and Conservation: A Handbook of Techniques. Oxford Univer- ACROCHORDUS JAVANICUS (Javan Wart Snake). HUNTING
sity Press, Oxford, UK). We developed a novel and inexpensive AND FEEDING BEHAVIOR. Distributed throughout South-
method to extract fecal samples from lizards. Our method uses east Asia, Acrochordus javanicus is a nocturnal, non-venomous
a foam pool noodle (a long cylindrical tube of polyethylene aquatic snake that inhabits predominantly freshwater environ-
foam that is most commonly used for flotation or recreation in ments such as rivers, streams and estuaries (Lillywhite 1996. Zoo
swimming pools). To create the fecal collection tool, a 4 cm- Biol. 15:315–327). These nocturnal snakes are characterized by
long piece of foam pool noodle was cut, and then sliced lon- their loose skin covered in small rough scales that do not over-
gitudinally on one side, so that it could be opened like a book lap; the skin is commonly used in the commercial leather trade
(Fig. 1A). The lizard should then be inserted into the 4-cm (Shine et al. 1995. J. Herpetol. 29:352–360). Acrochordus spp. feed
piece of foam pool noodle so that it is secured between the mostly on fish (Shine 1986. Copeia. 1986:424–437) but may also
front cover and back cover of the foam pool noodle (Fig. 1B). prey on crustaceans (Voris and Glodek 1980. J. Herpetol. 14:108–
The foam pool noodle should be centered over the abdomen 111). Although prey selection is known, observations on hunting
of the lizard, although it is acceptable if the noodle is a little behavior in the wild are lacking, where observations on captive
longer or shorter than the full length of the abdomen. Once in specimens can be helpful in elucidating the behaviors that these
place, firmly squeeze on the foam pool noodle in pulses (press animals exhibit. Here I describe the hunting and feeding be-
and let go, press and let go), which in turn puts gentle pressure havior of a wild-caught adult male A. javanicus that is currently
on the lizard, for no more than 60 seconds. If a fecal pellet was housed in an aquatic enclosure at the River Safari, Singapore.
not passed after 60 seconds, the authors found that continued The A. javanicus is maintained on a diet of live common
pressure was unlikely to produce one. In trials with this new goldfish (Carassius gibelio) (total length = 12 cm) and is fed every
method, we experienced a 97% success rate with Sceloporus 14 days. When C. gibelio were introduced into the enclosure,
jarrovii (N = 66), and 95% success rates with S. virgatus (Striped the snake actively foraged in search of the prey, appearing to
Plateau Lizard) and Urosaurus ornatus (Ornate Tree Lizard; N rely more on chemoreception and tactile sensation than vision.
= 54 and 13, respectively). Although the snout–vent length of Several occurrences were observed when the prey swam in front
individual lizards varied from 4 to 15 cm, we found that a 4-cm of the snake but elicited no response when it was not actively
length of foam pool noodle worked for this entire size range. A tongue-flicking. However, when the prey made physical contact
longer cut of pool noodle may be needed for larger lizards. We with any part of the snake, the snake propelled itself in that
direction with its mouth wide open. Whenever the snake failed
to capture its prey, it used its tail to herd the prey back towards
its head with what could be described as a whipping motion.
Another hunting technique observed with this individual was
the cornering and enveloping of prey with its body, confining the
prey to a smaller space before striking.
The individual housed at the River Safari has been observed
to consume live prey by means of constriction. However unlike
true constrictors, the purpose of constriction seems to aid the
positioning of its prey prior to consumption; this behavior has
also been observed in Acrochordus granulatus (Lillywhite et al.,
op. cit.). The rough scales of this genus may have developed as an
adaption to its feeding ecology.
WEBSTER CHEONG, Herpetology Section, Wildlife Reserves Singa-
pore, 80 Mandai Lake Road 729826, Singapore (e-mail: webster.cheong@
wrs.com.sg).

MICRURUS PYRRHOCRYPTUS. FEEDING HABITS. Micrurus

pyrrhocryptus (Elapidae) is a widely distributed coral snake that
Fig. 1. A) 4-cm piece of a pool noodle with a cut on one side. B) Fe- spans the countries of Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and western
cal sample being collected from Sceloporus jarrovii via the new pool Brazil (Silva Jr. and Sites 1999. Herpetologica. 57:1–22). Informa-
noodle method. tion on its ecology and natural history is sparse and scattered

Herpetological Review 50(3), 2019

 HERPETOCULTURE 519

Table 1. Diversity and size of prey consumed by a captive male Micrurus pyrrhocryptus from the Zoológico Mu-
nicipal Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. Values reported are mean (± SD). Blank spaces indicate that
no data were recorded for that category.

Taxon N Total length (cm) Tail length (cm) Mass (g)

Amphisbaenidae
Amphisbaena borelli 11 20.5 (± 1.8) 1.8 (± 0.4) 3.4 (± 0.9)
Amphisbaena camura 1 18 10.5
Amphisbaena sp. 2 21.3(± 5.3) 2.8
Gymnopthalmidae
Bachia dorbignyi 1 14 1.1
Colubridae
Erythrolamprus sp. 1 59.3 10.5 30.0
Dipsas turgidus 9 34.1(± 9.5) 5.6 (± 1.8) 11.4 (± 10.9)
Leptodeira annulata 1 16.0
Oxyrhopus guibei 1
Tantilla melanocephala 1
Xenodon pulcher 1 17.5 2.0 4.0
Leptotyphlopidae
Epictia sp. 1 23.0 0.8 9.75
Typhlopidae
Typhlops sp. 1 11.0 0.5 1
Viperidae
Bothrops mattogrossensis 6 4.8 (± 0.3)

in reports on populations from Argentina and Brazil (Roze 1996. Krysko et al. (2019. Amphibians and Reptiles of Florida. Univer-
Coral Snakes of the Americas: Biology, Identification and Ven- sity of Florida Press, Gainesville), but no information is available
oms. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida; Leynaud on the longevity of wild-caught individuals. Maximum longevity
et al. 2008. Stud. Neotrop. Fauna E 43:19–24; Ávila et al. 2010. S. in captivity is for a wild-caught male held 18 y, 11 m, 21 d by Zoo
Amer. J. Herpetol. 5:97–101). Under natural conditions, M. pyr- Atlanta (Snider and Bowler 1992. SSAR Herpetol. Circ. No. 21).
rhocryptus exhibits typical coral snake dietary preferences and On 4 May 1987 at 2100 h, I captured a subadult male crossing
consumes snakes and amphisbaenians (Ávila et al., op. cit.). Here County Road 29 (27.25870°N, 81.30521°W, WGS 84; 25.9 m elev.)
we present observations on the feeding habits of a wild-caught northeast of Archbold Biological Station in Highlands County,
captive male M. pyrrhocryptus (total length [ToL] = 95.0 cm; tail Florida, USA. The snake was retained because the area to the west
length [TL] = 5.8 cm) housed at the Zoológico Municipal Santa was being actively bulldozed for residential development; at the
Cruz in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. time, the species was not protected under state law. The snake
From August 2018 to April 2019, we periodically offered the lived in captivity until 30 May 2019 when it succumbed to cancer.
M. pyrrhocryptus a total of 41 live snakes and amphisbaenians Numerous large tumors formed external to the large intestinal
as prey. On 37 occasions, the M. pyrrhocryptus consumed the tract anterior to the vent, thus inhibiting evacuation of fecal
prey item offered (Table 1). However, in four instances, the prey matter. An attempt to remove the tumors was unsuccessful. At the
was not consumed, including three Amphisbaena camura (mean time of death, the snake had an SVL = 106 cm and tail length = 15
ToL ± SD = 28.0 ± 1.7 cm; mean TL = 2.9 ± 0.1 cm; mean body cm. The snake and its tumors were deposited in the herpetology
mass = 14.4 ± 5.1 g) and one Dipsas turgidus (ToL = 46.5 cm; TL collection at the Florida Museum of Natural History (UF 188718).
= 8.1 cm; mass = 30.1 g). From these observations under captive The minimum age of P. m. mugitus reported herein was 32 y.
conditions, it appears that M. pyrrhocryptus will readily consume Although not measured at capture, the male was not considered
snakes and other elongate vertebrates as has been reported for to be an adult at that time. In P. melanoleucus mugitus, sexual
other species of Micrurus (Roze 1996, op. cit.; Sosa et al. 2013. maturity is reached at ca. 3 y (Krysko et al., op cit.), thus making
Herpetol. Rev. 44:155). it probable that this individual was 1–2 y older than 32 at death.
RONALD SOSA (e-mail: [email protected]), MARCO SENZANO In captivity, other subspecies of P. melanoleucus have reached
(e-mail: [email protected]), Departamento de Conservación y 20–22 y of age (Animal Diversity Web, Museum of Zoology,
Manejo de Vida Silvestre, Zoológico Municipal Santa Cruz, Avenida Marcelo University of Michigan; https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/
Terceros Banzer, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia; CHRISTOPHER M. SCHALK, Pituophis_melanoleucus/#lifespan_longevity), but this record
Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin State of 32+ years for P. m. mugitus extends the maximum known age
University, 419 E. College Street, Nacogdoches, Texas 75962, USA (e-mail: considerably. Reports of non-epidermal carcinomas are rare in
[email protected]). snakes (e.g., Petterino et al. 2006. Vet. Clin. Pathol. 35:95–100), so
this observation may be of interest to veterinary pathologists.
PITUOPHIS MELANOLEUCUS MUGITUS (Florida Pine Snake). C. KENNETH DODD, JR., Florida Museum of Natural History, University
LONGEVITY AND TUMOR DEVELOPMENT. Pituophis melano- of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA; e-mail: [email protected].
leucus mugitus is found on the Atlantic Coastal Plain from South
Carolina southward throughout much of peninsular Florida, USA.
Information on the life history of this species is summarized by

Herpetological Review 50(3), 2019

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