Feeding habits of the american crocodile, crocodylus acutus (cuvier, 1807) (reptilia: crocodylidae) in the Southern Coast of Quintana Roo, México

Abstract

RESUMENEntre enero y septiembre de 2006 se capturaron 21 cocodrilos (Crocodylus acutus) y se recapturaron seis en cuatro sistemas lagunares de la costa sur de Quintana Roo para analizar los contenidos estomacales. Las presas encontradas en el contenido estomacal se dividieron en cinco grupos y se realizaron análisis basados en la frecuencia y en el volumen. Las presas encontradas en orden de importancia fueron peces, crustáceos, aves, mamíferos e insectos. La dieta de los cocodrilos cambió considerablemente de acuerdo con el tamaño corporal de los individuos. Los cocodrilos adultos agregaron a su dieta presas de mayor talla como aves y mamíferos. Peces y crustáceos estuvieron representados en la dieta de individuos de todas las clases de tamaño, demostrando la importancia que estas presas tienen en la dieta de C. acutus. Palabras clave: Crocodylus acutus, Quintana Roo, contenido estomacal, hábitos alimentarios. ABSTRACTBetween January and September 2006, 21 crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus) were captured and six were recaptured in four lagoons located in the southern coast of Quintana Roo. Stomach contents were obtained in order to identify prey items, which were analyzed by the frequency and volume method. In decreasing order of importance, prey items were fish, crustaceans, birds, mammals and insects. Diet of crocodiles changed considerably according to their body size. Adult crocodiles added larger preys (birds and mammals) to their diet; fish and crustaceans were present in the diet at all sizes, thus showing the importance of these prey in the diet of American crocodiles.

Variation in diet of hatchlings, juveniles and sub-adults of Caiman crocodilus chiapasius in La Encrucijada, Chiapas, Mexico

“…Our result differed with those reported by Seijas and Ramos (1980), and Da Silveira and Magnusson (1999) who did not found fish traces in smallest size classes of C. c. crocodilus in Venezuela and Brazil. In general, crocodilians are piscivorous, principally the adults (Borteiro et al, 2009;Da Silveira & Magnusson, 1999;Laverty & Dobson, 2013;Magnusson et al, 1987;Platt et al, 2006, Platt, Thorbjarnarson et al, 2013Seijas & Ramos, 1980, Thorbjarnarson, 1993Tucker et al, 1996;Villegas & Schmitter-Soto, 2008). Within our sample, the consumption of fish in sub-adults increased considerably to 66.6%; however, it must be considered that the number of sub-adults captured was very small and adults are absent in this work.…”

“…Through the study of the alimentary habits of an organism we can understand food chains and the impact of populations on the environment (Casas-Andreu & Barrios-Quiroz, 2003). Furthermore, diet analyses allow a better understanding of the ecological role of organism fulfill in the ecosystem (Villegas & Schmitter, 2008). Food affects body condition, growth, behavior and reproduction of crocodiles (Platt, Thorbjarnarson et al, 2013), and analyzing diet from different perspectives, such as its variation throughout development, allows to understand the intraspecific competition through the overlap of food niche between different size classes (Platt et al, 2006;Platt, Thorbjarnarson et al, 2013;Tucker et al, 1996).…”

Food habits and ontogenetic dietary partitioning of American crocodiles in a tropical Pacific Island in Central America

“…Previously, a total of 58 species that American crocodiles feed upon were identified, based on a variety of different methods (flushing, fecal analysis, and direct observation; Álvarez del Toro , Medem , Thorbjarnarson , , Ortiz et al. , Richards and Wasilewski , Casas‐Andreu and Barrios‐Quiroz , Villegas and Schmitter‐Soto , Cupul‐Magaña et al. , Platt et al.…”

“…Regarding food habits, authors such as Medem () assessed the stomach content of several dead American crocodiles in the Caribbean (Frio and Palenque rivers) and Choco (Ungia lagoon) regions as well as in some insular areas (Fuerte Island) in Colombia, reporting fish, mollusks, insects, and crustaceans along with gastroliths. Thorbjarnarson (), Villegas and Schmitter‐Soto (), and Platt et al. () identified aquatic insects, crustaceans, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals in crocodile stomachs from brackish lakes and coastal areas in Haiti, Mexico, and Belize based on flushing techniques.…”

Contributions to the nutrition of the American crocodile Crocodylus acutus (Cuvier, 1807) in captivity

“…Most nutritional studies of crocodiles in the wild are based on the analysis of stomach content and behavioral observations (Villegas & Schmitter-Soto, 2008). These reptiles are generalist predators that feed on a wide variety of prey, among which include: fish, arthropods, snails, crustaceans, turtles, and mammals (Thorbjarnarson et al, 2006;Villegas & SchmitterSoto, 2008;Cupul-Magaña et al, 2008Hernández-Hurtado et al, 2011a, 2011bLaverty & Dobson, 2013).…”