Diet of crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) in two conservation units of the Amazon rainforest, Brazil

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate the diet of the free-living crab-eating fox by identifying the stomach contents of the 17 crab-eating foxes (Cerdocyon thous) roadkilled in two conservation units, both located in the Amazon rainforest. The food items were quantified by frequency of occurrence (FO) and percentage of occurrence (PO). The stomach contents were analysed for dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fibre (CF), ether extract (EE), and mineral matter (MM). Nitrogen-free extractives (NFE), metabolisable energy (ME) values, as well as the energy need for maintenance were estimated. The composition of the diet for the crab-eating fox presented 29 food items from the different taxonomic groups, with a greater diversity of items of animal origin (n=22), although the highest frequency of occurrence was gramineae (Poaceae) (41.18%). Among the items of animal origin, 21% were mammals, 18% reptiles, 10% amphibians, 9% invertebrates and 3% birds. A high content of CF (62.76%) were determined. Nitrogen-free extractive and dry matter averages were 5.91% and 141.82 kcal/100g, respectively. The average maintenance energy was 447.01 kcal/day. These findings suggesting that the crab-eating foxes have a generalist diet with an omnivorous diet in the Amazon basin, feeding on gramineae, fruits, insects, snakes, amphibians, birds and small mammals and have the same feeding habit that present in other Brazilian biomes.

Combining approaches for environmental assessment of rehabilitated gold‐mining areas in the Eastern Amazon

“…The climate in the region is type Aw according to the Koppen classification (Alvares et al, 2013), with an average annual temperature of 27.2 C and annual relative humidity of 80%. The main phytophysiognomies are represented by Dense Ombrophylous Forest, Open Ombrophylous Forest, and ferruginous rocky outcrops (Cangas) (Dutra-Vieira et al, 2024).…”

Tomographic evaluation of the glands and lymph nodes of the cervical region in the crab‐eating fox (Cerdocyon thous)

“…Dutra‐Vieira et al. (2021) reported that this canid feeds on gramineae, fruits, insects, snakes, amphibians, birds and small mammals. The generalist diet suggests that it takes part in several ecological interactions in the environment (Gatti et al., 2006).…”

“…This neotropical canid has a medium-size and lives in pairs or small groups and is considered widely distributed over the Neotropical region, being common in South America (Eisenberg & Redford, 1999). This species is relatively common in the various Brazilian biomes such as cerrado, caatinga, Atlantic forest, and Amazon rainforest (Dutra-Vieira et al, 2021;Lucherini, 2015).…”

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The crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) is a wild mammal that belongs to the order Carnivora, and family Canidae (Lucherini, 2015).This neotropical canid has a medium-size and lives in pairs or small groups and is considered widely distributed over the Neotropical region, being common in South America (Eisenberg & Redford, 1999). This species is relatively common in the various Brazilian biomes such as cerrado, caatinga, Atlantic forest, and Amazon rainforest (Dutra-Vieira et al, 2021;Lucherini, 2015).Although, the crab-eating fox is listed as least concern in the IUCN Red List (Lucherini, 2015), this canid was the third road killed

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“…The crab-eating fox is an omnivorous species with a generalist diet and it has basically frugivorous diet, complemented by arthropods, mainly insects and small vertebrates (Gatti et al, 2006). Dutra-Vieira et al (2021) reported that this canid feeds on gramineae, fruits, insects, snakes, amphibians, birds and small mammals.…”