Abstract
Imantodes cenchoa (Linnaeus, 1758) is distributed from the east coast of Mexico to Argentina. In Brazil, it occurs in the north, central-west and northeast regions. We present information on the reproductive biology and diet of I. cenchoa from analysis of 314 specimens deposited in the Herpetological Collection of the Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi (MPEG). Imantodes cenchoa displays sexual dimorphism in the snout-vent length, where sexually mature females are larger than mature males (t = 4.02, p < 0.01; N males = 150, N females = 71), head length (f1.218 = 98.29, p < 0.01; N males = 150, N females = 71), and head width (f1.218 = 112.77, p < 0.01, N males = 150; N females = 71). Bi-sexual maturity is observed, with males becoming sexually mature earlier than females. Females with eggs were recorded from November to January (rainy season) and from April to July (dry season), suggesting two reproductive peaks throughout the year, with recruitment occurring mainly during the rainy season, when there is a greater supply of food. Imantodes cenchoa is a nocturnal active forager, capturing prey that are asleep on the vegetation. In 32.80% of the analyzed specimens, food contents were present, of which 84.11% were lizards of the genera Norops (69.16%, N = 74) and Gonatodes (14.95%, N = 16). The other 15.89% of the contents were made up of items in an advanced state of digestion, preventing their identification. Some specimens had more than one food item in their digestive tract, accounting for 107 prey items in total. There was no ontogenetic variation in the diet of I. cenchoa, and the predominant direction of prey ingestion was antero-posterior (71.96%). Larger snakes tended to feed on larger prey, although these did not exclude small prey from their diet.
Highlights
Results obtained from natural history studies, and which investigate reproductive modes and strategies, habitat use, food habits, behavior and defensive tactics, can increase our knowledge of the local fauna (CUNHA & NASCIMENTO 1978)
Sexual dimorphism of the head length (HL) was observed (f1.218 = 98.29, p < 0.01; N males = 150, N females = 71), with sexually mature females having a longer head than mature males
Sexual dimorphism in snakes can occur in characters such as size and/or body shape, color, position and/or size of organs, and behavior (KING 1989a, SHINE 1993, BONNET et al 1998, KEOGH & WALLACH 1999, PIZZATTO & MARQUES 2006), as well as the relative size of the head (CAMILLERI & SHINE 1990)
Summary
Results obtained from natural history studies, and which investigate reproductive modes and strategies, habitat use, food habits, behavior and defensive tactics (according to GREENE 1986, 1994), can increase our knowledge of the local fauna (CUNHA & NASCIMENTO 1978). Reproductive biology is widely discussed within the context of the natural history of snakes, mainly due to the great diversity of reproductive strategies in the group (SEIGEL & FORD 1987, SHINE 2003). These studies include descriptions of reproductive mode, period of vitellogenesis, ovulation and gestation, period of spermatogenesis and mating, fecundity, maturation size and sexual dimorphism (PARKER & PLUMMER 1987, SEIGEL & FORD 1987, SHINE 1993). Of many species of snakes are still poorly known (MARTINS & OLIVEIRA 1999, BALESTRIN & DI-BERNARDO 2005, PIZZATTO et al 2006, STURARO & GOMES 2008, MASCHIO et al 2010)
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