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- Title
Predation of a Yates Coral Snake, Micrurus yatesi Taylor, 1954 by a Brown Basilisk, Basiliscus basiliscus (Linnaeus, 1758).
- Authors
MATUTE, STEVEN; MANUEL MORA, JOSÉ; LÓPEZ, LUCÍA I.; VILLALOBOS ALVARADO, ELIÁN
- Abstract
Basilisks, diurnal ground-foraging tree lizards with an omnivorous and opportunistic diet, occasionally consume certain vertebrates. The Brown Basilisk, Basiliscus basiliscus, demonstrates a diverse diet that includes snakes, although reports have identified only one specific species as prey, namely Thamnophis proximus. The Brown Basilisk is commonly found along vegetated edges of streams and rivers in lowland areas, including gallery forests and secondary growth within highly disturbed agricultural regions. Similarly, the Yates Coral Snake, Micrurus yatesi, appears to favor these habitats. Here, we document the first observed instance of a Brown Basilisk consuming a Yates Coral Snake in its natural habitat within the Premontane Wet Forest of Villa Nueva, Quepos, on the Pacific slope of Costa Rica. Each predation event contributes to the food web and ecological network, emphasizing the value of reporting even individual observations to enhance our understanding of trophic relationships involving lizards and snakes.
- Subjects
BASILISKS (Mythical animals); SNAKES; HABITATS
- Publication
Caribbean Journal of Science, 2024, Vol 54, Issue 1, p150
- ISSN
0008-6452
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.18475/cjos.v54i1.a18