Defensive repertory of Pseudoeryx plicatilis (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Abstract

Defensive behavior is an important mechanism for the survival of organisms, and understanding the different strategies improves our knowledge regarding prey-predator relationships. Herein, based on field observation, we describe a sequence of behaviors displayed by the South American pond snake Pseudoeryx plicatilis from the Pantanal floodplains in midwestern Brazil. The individual displayed a repertoire of five different defensive behaviors, without an evident sequence pattern recognized. Two of the displays are new for the species, and one for the tribe. The new defensive repertory described may suggest animals oriented by vision as main predators of P. plicatilis.