Eviscerated alive: Novel and macabre feeding strategy in Oligodon fasciolatus (Günther, 1864) eating organs of Duttaphrynus melanostictus (Schneider, 1799) in Thailand

By

Bringsoe, Henrik
Suthanthangjai, Maneerat
Suthanthangjai, Winai
Nimnuam, Kanjana

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2020-9-11

Original Publication

Subterranean Biology

Volume

33

Pages

157--163

Subjects

Anura , behaviour , bufadienolide , Bufonidae , bufotoxin , Colubridae , Duvernoy’s gland , poison , posterior maxillary teeth , Squamata

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/herpetozoa.33.e57096

 

Abstract

A hitherto unknown feeding mode among snakes is described for the colubrid snake Oligodon fasciolatus in Northeast Thailand. Three cases of O. fasciolatus using enlarged posterior maxillary teeth to cut open the abdomen of a live poisonous toad Duttaphrynus melanostictus and eat its organs are described. The snakes and toads fought vigorously, and the toads secreted toxic white liquid on the dorsum and neck. The snakes inserted their heads into the abdomen of the toads, pulled out some of the organs and swallowed them. The snakes and toads were adults. All three cases were documented by extensive photographic material.<br> In a fourth case from Central Thailand, an adult O. fasciolatus was observed swallowing an entire semi-adult D. melanostictus.<br> The majority of all snake species swallow their prey in one piece, but to place our observations in a broader context we review a number of exceptions.