Predation of Rhinella crucifer (Wied-Neuwied, 1821) (Anura: Bufonidae) by Helicops angulatus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Squamata: Dipsadidae) in the northeast of Brazil
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70782/heringeriana.v20i1.918101Keywords:
trophic relationship, anuran, watersnake, feeding behaviorAbstract
We report a predation event in which the semiaquatic snake Helicops angulattus preyed upon the bufonid frog Rhinella crucifer in a lentic water body within the APA Aldeia-Beberibe, Pernambuco, Brazil. The event was observed in its entirety, from the initial strike to complete ingestion, which lasted 23 minutes. This constitutes the first documented trophic interaction between H. angulattus and R. crucifer, as well as the first record of H. angulattus feeding on anurans in the state of Pernambuco, expanding current knowledge on the species’ diet and predator–prey relationships.
Handling Editor: Dra. Caroline Oswald
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Copyright (c) 2026 Isabel Gonzalves Velasco, Sabrina Nascimento Silva, João Victor Alves de Oliveira
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