Abstract
This study presents original data on the reproduction and feeding ecology of two syntopic amphisbaenians, Amphisbaena munoai Klappenbach, 1969 and Anops kingi Bell, 1833, from southern Brazil. Sampling was carried out from April 2004 to April 2006 at a highland area located in São Jerônimo and Barão do Triunfo municipalities, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A total of 647 amphisbaenians were collected, 510 specimens of A. munoai and 137 specimens of A. kingi, of which 130 and 93, respectively, had their gonads and gut content analyzed. Both species presented a unimodal pattern of seasonal distribution, sexually mature females with significantly larger snout vent length (SVL) than sexually mature males, and seasonal reproductive cycle. Adults of A. kingi had significantly larger (SVL) than those of Amphisbaena munoai. Both species had generalist diets, but termites (Isoptera) was a staple item in their diet. Greater predominance of insect larvae was observed in the diet of A. kingi, which may be due to its larger body in comparison to A. munoai. Insect larvae ingested by A. kingi were significantly larger than those ingested by A. munoai. Diets of adult males and females of both species were not significantly different. The ontogenetic diet comparison in both species revealed significant numerical differences, with adults consuming higher numbers of prey.
Highlights
Information about the natural history of A. munoai was presented by BERNARDO-SILVA et al (2006), who studied the diet of the species in an area close to where the present study was developed (Escudo Sul-RioGrandense)
Amphisbaenians could get heat from the rocks to enhance their body temperature without exposing themselves to the ground surface, diminishing the predation risk (MARTÍN et al 1990, 1991; LÓPEZ et al 1998). Both species presented a uni-modal pattern of seasonal distribution, with highest capture rates between May and October for A. munoai, and from June to September for A. kingi
The first one states that A. munoai and A. kingi would migrate vertically in the soil among the fresh and deep areas below the surface during summer, and in warm areas close to the surface during the winter, searching for an optimum body temperature. This hypothesis was proposed for A. kingi in central-east Argentina (VEGA, 2001), for Blanus cinereus (Vandelli, 1797) in an area of temperate climate in Spain (MARTÍN et al, 1990; LÓPEZ et al, 1998), and for a fossorial snake Atractus reticulatus Boulenger, 1885 in an area close to the area of the present study in southern Brazil (BALESTRIN et al, 2007)
Summary
Regions of temperate climate, mainly in North America, Europe and Australia, less diverse, revealed Squamata reptile species that were good models for studies emphasizing natural history, related to the easy observation/capture and to the relative frequency (SEIGEL & COLLINS, 1993). Field expeditions to an elevated area in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (Escudo Sul-Rio-Grandense in the Pampa biome), revealed a high abundance of two sintopic amphisbaenian species, Amphisbaena munoai Klappenbach, 1969 and Anops kingi Bell, 1833. Anops kingi is a little studied species in relation to its taxonomy and natural history The reproduction of this species was described by VEGA (2001) in an area of temperate climate in Argentina
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