Diet of crab-eating fox, Cerdocyon thous (Linnaeus) (Carnivora, Canidae), in a suburban area of southern Brazil

Abstract

The crab-eating fox, Cerdocyon thous (Linnaeus, 1766), is a small canid with twilight and nocturnal habits from savannas and forests of South America. In this study, we seasonally determined and quantified the diet of C. thous in Lami Biological Reserve, a conservation unit with 179.78ha situated in a suburban area in the municipality of Porto Alegre, southern Brazil. During the year 2000, we collected 80 fecal samples - 20 for each season - in two or three week sampling intervals, along trails inside the Reserve. Samples were dried in an oven for 24h at 60ºC, immersed in 70% alcohol, and prey items were identified using a stereomicroscope. The diet of the crab-eating fox was essentially carnivorous (87.62% composed by vertebrates), with seasonal variation (p = 0.0009) and absence of fruits. Small non-flying mammals and birds were the most frequent prey, being proportionally more preyed in autumn and summer, respectively. Arthropods were more preyed in winter and spring and bird/reptile eggs only in summer and spring, in the reproduction period of these groups.

Trophic relationships of sympatric small carnivores in fragmented landscapes of southern Brazil: niche overlap and potential for competition

“…In the diet of the crab-eating fox, fruits are an important resource as cited by many investigators throughout the species' range, although there is a wide variation in the consumption rate (Facure et al 2003, Rocha et al 2004, Pedó et al 2006). This species is an opportunistic predator with a diet that varies according to availability, seasonality, and social aspects (Courtney and Maffei 2004).…”

Comparison of the Lumbosacral Plexus Nerves Formation in Pampas Fox (Pseudalopex gymnocercus) and Crab‐Eating Fox (Cerdocyon thous) in Relationship to Plexus Model in Dogs

“…Currently, these animals were included in the list of the fauna species in risk in Brazil (Pedo et al, 2006;Rios et al, 2008), due the growth of the urban occupations associate with the increase in the areas of agropastoral system production. The main causes of mortality of these animals are roadkill on highways (Vieira, 1996;Rios et al, 2008;Lemos et al, 2011), contagion by diseases of domestic animals, especially diseases of dogs (Deem et al, 2001;Whiteman, 2007;Jorge, 2008) and poisoning (Lemos et al, 2011).…”

“…Even, these animals are being hunted for possible attacks to small animals in farms (Dotto et al, 2001;Lemos et al, 2011). Nevertheless, a study of the stomach contents revealed that the species is an opportunistic predator, possessing an omnivore diet, including mainly small mammals, birds, insects, and fruits, with an important role in the natural control of pest populations (Pedo et al, 2006;Rios et al, 2008).…”

Estradiol and progesterone fecal metabolites analysis in crab-eating-fox (Cerdocyoun thous)

“…It lives throughout much of South America, playing an important role as a seed disperser and controlling rodent populations (Rocha et al, 2004;Pedó et al, 2006). Despite the fact that it is a common species, little concentrations of gonadal steroids.…”