Hundred legs good, two fangs better: adult centipede (Scolopendridae) devoured by a juvenile Amazon lancehead, Bothrops atrox (Viperidae)

Abstract

Centipedes are part of the diet of several snake species of the genus Bothrops. However, reports on predation of centipedes by snakes are normally incomplete, and important data for natural history studies as the species identification and size of the prey are rarely published. The aim of this work was to report the presence of the centipede Scolopendra viridicornis in the digestive tract of the Amazon pit viper B. atrox. The snake specimen is an immature female from Aripuanã, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, having a 623 mm snout-vent length. The centipede is an adult Scolopendra viridicornis, estimated to be 190 mm long, and found in the snake's stomach. The success in preying on this large and potentially dangerous centipede could be explained by the snake's dimensions, large enough for overpowering the prey, but still retaining characteristics of youth, such as venom with specific action against specific prey items. KEYWORDS: Diet, ectothermic prey, Scolopendra.Uma centena de pernas é eficaz, mas duas presas são ainda melhores: lacraia adulta (Scolopendridae) devorada por uma jovem serpente amazônica, Bothrops atrox (Viperidae) RESUMO Lacraias fazem parte da dieta de diversas espécies de serpentes do gênero Bothrops. Entretanto, informações importantes para estudos de história natural, como identificação da espécie e tamanho de presas, são raramente publicados. O objetivo desse trabalho é registrar a presença de uma lacraia Scolopendra viridicornis, no trato digestivo de uma jararaca da Amazônia, Bothrops atrox. A serpente estudada é uma fêmea imatura, com 623 mm de comprimento rostro-cloacal, proveniente de Aripuanã, estado de Mato Grosso, Brasil. A lacraia é um adulto de Scolopendra viridicornis parcialmente digerida, com aproximadamente 190 mm de comprimento. O sucesso na predação dessa grande e perigosa presa pode ser explicado pelas dimensões da serpente, que é grande o suficiente para dominar a presa, mas ainda retém características juvenis, como veneno com ação específica em determinados ítens alimentares. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Dieta, presa ectotérmica, Scolopendra.

Reproductive and feeding biology of the common lancehead Bothrops atrox (Serpentes, Viperidae) from central and southwestern Brazilian Amazonia

“…Ontogenetic dietary shifts were also reported in most species of the genus . Other studies on Bothrops diet, including the current investigation, have corroborated both ideas (Nogueira et al 2003;Oliveira 2003;Monteiro et al 2006;Santos-Costa et al 2015;Rodrigues et al 2016;Silva et al 2017a). The most important items in Bothrops diets (considering only known generalist species) are mammals, lizards and anurans .…”

Predation of Scolopendra Viridicornis (Newport 1844) (Chilopoda, Scolopendridae) by Bothrops Erythromelas (Amaral 1923) (Squamata, Viperidae) in the Caatinga, Northeast Brazil

“…Some species can display ontogenetic diet shift, meaning that the snakes shift prey type as they grow (Andrade & Abe, 1999). In some cases, adults prey more frequently upon mammals (endotherms), whereas juveniles prey mostly upon ectotherms, such as centipedes (Silva et al 2017). Nevertheless, regarding young individuals' diet, literature lacks information on Bothrops consuming venomous Chilopoda, especially at species level (Silva et al 2017).…”