Jaguar Panthera onca (Linnaeus, 1758) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) presumably feeding on Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris (Rafinesque, 1818) (Actinopterygii: Siluriformes: Ictaluridae) at Aros and Yaqui rivers, Sonora, Mexico

Juan Pablo Gallo-Reynoso

doi:10.11609/jott.7484.13.9.19358-19362

Abstract

Despite the abundant literature on the feeding preferences of the Jaguar Panthera onca throughout its range in America, few studies report fish consumed as prey by Jaguars. This paper reports two accounts of Jaguars presumably feeding on the introduced Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris at the Aros and Yaqui rivers in Sonora, northwestern Mexico.

Highlights

The Jaguar Panthera onca is known to forage on over 85 prey species (Weckel et al 2006), mainly on a large variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish (Gudger 1946; Emmons 1987; Aranda & Sánchez-Cordero 1996; Polisar 2000; Garla et al 2001; Polisar et al 2003; Weckel et al 2006; Azevedo & Murray 2007; Castañeda et al 2013; Hayward et al 2016)
We left the fish remains in the same spot, moved to the western riverbank, where we found a set of fresh Jaguar tracks with old White-tailed Deer tracks nearby
The Neotropical Otter feeds on Flathead Catfish, but the bone remains found in otter spraints were smaller than the sizes of the individual fish presumably preyed upon by Jaguars

Summary

Introduction

The Jaguar Panthera onca is known to forage on over 85 prey species (Weckel et al 2006), mainly on a large variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish (Gudger 1946; Emmons 1987; Aranda & Sánchez-Cordero 1996; Polisar 2000; Garla et al 2001; Polisar et al 2003; Weckel et al 2006; Azevedo & Murray 2007; Castañeda et al 2013; Hayward et al 2016). The Jaguar is adapted to exploit rivers, lagoons, and coastal areas where large prey species are available, it is important to record fish as a key component of the Jaguar’s diet.

Results

Conclusion