Trophic plasticity and novel predator-prey interaction between two introduced snakes in a Mediterranean island
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: We report the first documented case of interspecific ophiophagy by the naturalised false smooth snake (Macroprotodon mauritanicus), preying on the introduced horseshoe whip snake (Hemorrhois hippocrepis) in Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain). The event occurred in a suburban garden and was photographically recorded. While M. mauritanicus is known to consume reptiles, interspecific ophiophagy has not previously been documented. This observation represents a novel trophic interaction between two introduced colubrids. It was likely facilitated by the increasing local abundance of H. hippocrepis and by the ecological constraints of insular systems. Together with a previous report of avian predation on H. hippocrepis in Mallorca, it suggests that both native or naturalised predators may be incorporating this species into their diets. This finding adds new information on the trophic ecology of M. mauritanicus and highlights the dynamic nature of predator-prey interactions in island ecosystems, potentially involving juvenile individuals due to size-related constraints.
Source: Acta Herpetologica
DOI: 10.36253/a_h-18298
Authors: Enrique Pantoja, Samuel Pinya
Institution: Universitat de les Illes Balears
Language: English
Subfield: Global and Planetary Change
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
Funder: Universitat de les Illes Balears
OpenAlex ID: W4416915948
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