Notes on the Natural History of Helicops leopardinus (SCHLEGEL, 1837) (Serpentes: Hydropsini) in a large urban center
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17629026Palabras clave:
Feeding biology, Parasitism, Alien invasive species, Urban herpetofaunaResumen
Urban centers represent emerging socio‑ecological ecosystems that promote novel interactions, behavioral changes, and, consequently, new evolutionary trajectories. Population projections indicate that more than 60% of the world’s population will be living in urban areas by 2030, leading to habitat reduction and loss of space for wildlife. In this study, we investigated the diet and parasite ecology of an urban population of the water snake Helicops leopardinus. To this end, 50 individuals from scientific collections were analyzed. We recorded the first case of H. leopardinus consuming Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), which accounted for 50% of the total prey volume recorded. In addition, we documented the presence of cestode parasites of the genus Ophiotaenia, infecting 16% of the sampled individuals. These findings highlight the ecological flexibility of the species and contribute to a better understanding of wildlife responses to urban environments.Referencias
Araújo, G.M., Lima‑Neto, I.E., Becker, H. 2019. Phosphorus dynamics in a highly polluted urban drainage channel–shallow reservoir system in the Brazilian semiarid. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 91:e20180441. doi:10.1590/0001-3765201820180441.
Attayde, J.L., Okun, N., Brasil, J., Menezes, R.F., Mesquita, P.S. 2007. Impacts of the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) introduction on the trophic structure of the aquatic ecosystems of the Caatinga biome. Oecologia Australis 11:450–461.
Attayde, J.L., Brasil, J., Menescal, R.A. 2011. Impacts of introducing Nile tilapia on the fisheries of a tropical reservoir in northeastern Brazil. Fisheries Management and Ecology 18:437–443.
Ávila, R.W., Ferreira, V.L., Arruda, J.A.O. 2006. Natural history of the South American water snake Helicops leopardinus (Colubridae: Hydropsini) in the Pantanal, Central Brazil. Journal of Herpetology 40:274–279.
Baker, P., Funk, S., Harris, S., White, P. 2000. Flexible spatial organization of foxes (Vulpes vulpes) before and during an outbreak of sarcoptic mange. Animal Behaviour 59:127–146. doi:10.1006/anbe.1999.1285.
Bloch, M.E. 1795. Naturgeschichte der ausländischen Fische. Verfasser, Berlin.
Canonico, G.C., Arthington, A., McCrary, J.K., Thieme, M.L. 2005. The effects of introduced tilapias on native biodiversity. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 15:463–483. doi:10.1002/aqc.699.
Chejanovski, Z.A., Kolbe, J.J. 2019. Close encounters of the urban kind: predators influence prey body size variation in an urban landscape. Evolutionary Ecology 33:851–868. doi:10.1007/s10682-019-10008-1.
Diesing, K.M. 1836. Versuch einer Monographie der Gattung Pentastomum. Annalen des Wiener Museums der Naturgeschichte 1:1–32.
Hancock, J. 1828. Notes on some species of fishes and reptiles, from Demerara, presented to the Zoological Society by John Hancock, Esq., in a letter addressed to the Secretary of the Society. Zoological Journal 4:240–247.
Jiménez‑Ruiz, F.A., García‑Prieto, L., Pérez‑Ponce de León, G. 2002. Helminth infracommunity structure of the sympatric garter snakes Thamnophis eques and Thamnophis melanogaster from the Mesa Central of Mexico. Journal of Parasitology 88:454–460.
Johnson, M.T.J., Munshi‑South, J. 2017. Evolution of life in urban environments. Science 358:eaam8327.
Linnaeus, C. 1758. Systema Naturae per Regna Tria Naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii, Holmiae, Stockholm. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.542.
Lowry, H., Lill, A., Wong, B.B.M. 2013. Behavioural responses of wildlife to urban environments. Biological Reviews 88:537–549. doi:10.1111/brv.12012.
Railliet, A., Henry, A. 1915. Sur les nématodes du genre Camallanus Raill. et Henry, 1915 (Cucullanus Auct., non Müller, 1777). Bulletin de la Société de Pathologie Exotique 8:446–452.
Rego, A.A., Vicente, J.J. 1988. Excursão científica à Zona do Pantanal, Estado de Mato Grosso, para coletas de helmintos. Ciência e Cultura 40:465–468.
Rodrigues‑Filho, C.A.S., Gurgel‑Lourenço, R.C., Sánchez‑Botero, J.I. 2017. First report of the alien species Trichopodus trichopterus (Pallas, 1770) in the state of Ceará, Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Biology 78:394–395.
Rossellini, M. 2007. Caracterização da helmintofauna de Helicops leopardinus (Serpentes, Colubridae) do Pantanal Sul, Mato Grosso do Sul. Dissertação de Mestrado. Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Instituto de Biociências, Botucatu, Brasil.
Sánchez‑Botero, J.I., Reis, V.S., Chaves, D.N., Garcez, D.S. 2014. Fish assemblage of the Santo Anastácio reservoir (Ceará State, Brazil). Boletim do Instituto de Pesca 40:11–15.
Schlegel, H. 1837. Essai sur la physionomie des serpens. J. Kips HZ et P. van Stockum.
Schmidt, C., Domaratzki, M., Kinnunen, R.P., Bowman, J., Garroway, C.J. 2020. Continent‑wide effects of urbanization on bird and mammal genetic diversity. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 287:20192497. doi:10.1098/rspb.2019.2497.
Silva, L.A.F., Morais, D.H., Aguiar, A., Almeida, W.O., Silva, R.J. 2015. First record of Sebekia oxycephala (Pentastomida: Sebekidae) infecting Helicops infrataeniatus (Reptilia: Colubridae), São Paulo State, Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Biology 75:497–498.
Teixeira, C.C., Montag, A.L.F., Santos‑Costa, M.C. 2017. Composição da dieta e uso de habitat de Helicops Wagler, 1830 (Serpentes: Dipsadidae) na Amazônia Oriental Brasileira. Journal of Herpetology 51:215–222.
Travassos, L. 1916. Trematódeos novos. Brazil‑Médico 30:257–258.
Vitt, L.J. 1991. Ecology and life history of the wide‑foraging lizard Kentropyx calcarata (Teiidae) in Amazonian Brazil. Canadian Journal of Zoology 69:2791–2799.
Descargas
Publicado
Número
Sección
Licencia
Derechos de autor 2026 Herpetologia Brasileira
Esta obra está bajo una licencia internacional Creative Commons Atribución 4.0.
