1. Food habits of the Broad-snouted Caiman (Caiman latirostris: Crocodylia, Alligatoridae) in northwestern Uruguay.
- Author
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Borteiro, C., Gutiérrez, F., Tedros, M., and Kolenc, F.
- Subjects
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FOOD habits , *BROAD-nosed caiman , *CROCODILIANS , *INVERTEBRATE anatomy , *FRESHWATER animals , *PREDATORY animals , *ANIMAL feeding behavior , *INVERTEBRATES - Abstract
The food habits of the Broad-snouted Caiman (Caiman latirostris) were studied in northwestern Uruguay. The most common prey were insects, the shrimp Pseudopalaemon bouvieri, the snail Pomacea canaliculata, fish and birds. Spiders, crabs, amphibians, snakes, turtles and mammals were consumed less frequently. Arthropods were the most frequent prey for juvenile caiman. Fish and snails were consumed by all size classes. The proportion of stomach contents with invertebrates decreased with increasing caiman size, and that with vertebrates was greater in the diet of larger caiman. Diet composition and ontogenetic shift are similar to that of other crocodilians considered as opportunistic generalist predators. Se estudiaron los habitos alimenticios del Yacare (Caiman latirostris) en el noroeste de Uruguay. Las presas mas comunes fueron insectos, el camaron Pseudopalaemon bouvieri, el caracol Pomacea canaliculata, peces y aves. Aranas, cangrejos, anfibios, serpientes, tortugas y mamiferos fueron consumidos menos frecuentemente. Los artropodos fueron las presas mas frecuentes de juveniles. Peces y aves fueron consumidos por todos los tamanos. La proporcion de contenidos estomacales con invertebrados disminuyo al aumentar el tamano de los caimanes, y la de vertebrados fue mayor en los individuos de mayor tamano. La composicion y cambio ontogenetico en la dieta resultan similares a los de crocodilianos considerados predadores generalistas oportunistas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2009
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