Abstract
Herein we investigated diet, sexual dimorphism and reproductive biology of two sympatric congeneric species at the coastal Brazilian Pampa, Philodryas aestiva and P. patagoniensis. Analysis of the stomach content of the scansorial Philodryas aestiva revealed that it feeds mainly on Anura and small mammals, while it occasionally consumes Insecta, Squamata and Aves. The more terrestrial Philodryas patagoniensis presented a broader diet, composed mainly of Anura, Squamata and small mammals. Insecta and Actinopterygii were found in lower frequencies. In females of both species, snout-vent length was significantly larger than in males, while tail length/snout-vent length ratio was significantly higher in males. Males reach sexual maturity at smaller sizes than females in both species. Fecundity was higher in P. patagoniensis (3 to 24 eggs; 15 ± 8.15) than in P. aestiva (10 to 20 eggs; X = 14.50 ± 3.53). Females of P. aestiva showed secondary follicles in all seasons while eggs occurred from middle-winter to early-summer. Secondary follicles occurred throughout the year in P. patagoniensis, but concentrated in spring. Eggs occurred in late-summer, middle-autumn and spring. Both species presented positive correlations between SVL and clutch size. Differences in analyzed traits seem to reflect divergences in species morphology and use of habitat/microhabitat.
Highlights
Data on natural history of snakes are crucial to understand ecological processes at community level and for species conservation (Greene 1993, Shine 1995)
Aspects of the natural history of P. patagoniensis have been examined in several areas along its distribution (Vaz-Ferreira et al 1970, Carreira-Vidal 2002, Pontes et al 2003, Hartmann and Marques 2005, López and Giraudo 2008, Sawaya et al 2008, Marques et al 2012, NetoSilva et al 2012, Loebens et al 2016, 2017, Ucha and Santos 2017) but data are still lacking from the southernmost Brazilian coast
The present study adds to previous evidence that implies that both P. patagoniensis and P. aestiva are generalists, the former seems to feed on a broader range of prey
Summary
Data on natural history of snakes are crucial to understand ecological processes at community level and for species conservation (Greene 1993, Shine 1995). NATURAL HISTORY ASPECTS OF SYMPATRIC Philodryas habits (Cacciali et al 2016) They are commonly known as “racers” due to their capacity for rapid displacement and slender body. In the southernmost Brazilian coast, Philodryas patagoniensis occupies a greater variety of habitats, including flooded and xerophytic environments (such as the interior of marshes, saltmarshes and coastal dunes) where P. aestiva is apparently absent (Quintela and Loebmann 2009). Aspects of the natural history of P. patagoniensis have been examined in several areas along its distribution (Vaz-Ferreira et al 1970, Carreira-Vidal 2002, Pontes et al 2003, Hartmann and Marques 2005, López and Giraudo 2008, Sawaya et al 2008, Marques et al 2012, NetoSilva et al 2012, Loebens et al 2016, 2017, Ucha and Santos 2017) but data are still lacking from the southernmost Brazilian coast. As for P. aestiva, dietary data is scarce (Carreira-Vidal 2002, França et al 2008) and there are no studies addressing reproduction and sexual dimorphism in the species
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