Snakes preying on bats: new records from Brazil and a review of recorded cases in the Neotropical Region

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Predation on bats by snakes is relatively infrequently reported in the literature, though it may actually not be an uncommon phenomenon, since bat colonies represent a potential concentration of food for many medium-sized or large snakes. Herein we describe four events of bat predation by snakes and present a review of predation records of snakes on bats in the Neotropics compiled from the literature. A total of 20 species of snakes have been recorded so far as predators of bats in the New World tropics, with boiids being represented by the greatest number of cases. Due to the semi-arboreal habits of most of its species, their large size and their usual preference for mammalian prey, the Boiidae are probably the main reptilian predators of bats in the Neotropics, though predation by colubrids may also be relatively frequent. Two types of predatory events can be pointed out: (1) on active bats outside refuges or exiting them, and (2) on animals (active or inactive) inside refuges. The former strategy is apparently used mainly by boiids, whereas the latter strategy appears to be the one most used by large colubrids.

Fish and amphibians as bat predators

“…I found that the occurrence of bats in the diet of fishes and amphibians was very low, especially when compared to main bat predators such as owls, small carnivores and other bats, snakes and diurnal birds (Schätti 1984;Speakman 1991;Esbérard & Vrcibradic 2007;Sparks et al 2000;Mikula et al forthcoming). For instance, Mikula et al (forthcoming) reviewed > 1500 such records for almost 240 species of diurnal birds (however, unlike actual paper, one case included multiple observations with several bat individuals and species there; the total number of such records for diurnal birds will be thus much higher) that were obtained by similar searching methodology.…”

“…For instance, Mikula et al (forthcoming) reviewed > 1500 such records for almost 240 species of diurnal birds (however, unlike actual paper, one case included multiple observations with several bat individuals and species there; the total number of such records for diurnal birds will be thus much higher) that were obtained by similar searching methodology. However, diurnal birds are not main bat predators due to different activity time, number of incidences for more important bat predators such as owls, small mammalian carnivores, and, in some regions, snakes should be thus higher (Speakman 1991;Sparks et al 2000;Denisova 2004;Esbérard & Vrcibradic 2007). Although, according to my knowledge, no exhaustive global overview on bat predation by these animal groups has been published up to date.…”

Percepção ambiental de agricultores de região semiárida sobre os anfíbios anuros e biocontrole de insetos pragas em sistemas irrigados e não irrigados, às margens do rio São Francisco, Brasil

“…A literatura confirma que muitos anuros são insetívoros e con siderados forrageadores oportunistas, sendo suas dietas um reflexo da disponibilidade de presas no ambiente (Eterovick E Sazima 2004;Esbérard et al, 2007;Gouveia et al, 2009); daí os anfíbios serem considerados importantes elos nas cadeias alimentares dos ecossistemas, embora estudos como os de Haddad (1991) Os agricultores de Petrolândia (83% n=238) e Itacuruba (78% n=131) já identificaram, por observações locais, que os anfíbios se alimentam de pragas agrícolas sendo, portanto, considerados biocontroladores.…”

First record of predation on the bat Carollia perspicillata by the false coral snake Oxyrhopus petolarius in the Atlantic Rainforest

“…melanoleucus, Pseustes sulphureus, and Spilotes pullatus (DAVIS, 1951;RAINWATER;PLATT, 1999;RUFINO;BERNARDI, 1999;ESBÉRARD;VRCIBRADIC, 2007). Finally, among the many Dipsadinae snakes, bats have been recorded only in the diet of Siphlophis cervinus, which was reported to have eaten an insectivorous bat Myotis sp., ingested tail-first (PRUDENTE et al, 1996).…”

“…This record corroborates the role of bats as potential prey for snakes and it extends the list of bat predators in Brazil. Preying on bats can involve some risk of injury to the predator (ESBÉRARD; VRCIBRADIC, 2007). However, snakes which use constriction to subdue their prey, such as Oxyrhopus and other Dipsadinae snakes (ANDRADE; SILVANO, 1996), may have reduced risk for injury.…”