| Popis: |
Cannibalism is a common behaviour among snakes, but it has not yet been verified for any of the nine species of Galápagos racer (Pseudalsophis spp.), a group endemic to the Galápagos archipelago, Ecuador. Galápagos racers are opportunistic generalists feeding on a variety of vertebrate prey. There are a few anecdotal and suspected attempts of cannibalism among Galápagos racers, but it is unclear whether this behaviour occurs and if so, how frequent it is. We analysed 61 faecal samples from western Galápagos racers (Pseudalsophis occidentalis). In addition to the remains of well known prey items such as lizards, we found snake teeth and skin fragments in 11 samples. Combined with previous observations of attempted cannibalism between western Galápagos racers, our results represent evidence that this species consumes other racers as prey. Our study contributes to a growing knowledge of the natural history of Galápagos racers and highlights the role of these reptiles in complex trophic interactions in the Galápagos islands. |
