A Preliminary Study of the Food of the Dwarf Snake, Eirenis modestus (Martin, 1838) (Serpentes: Colubridae), in İzmir and Manisa Provinces

Authors

KERİM ÇİÇEK
AHMET MERMER

Abstract

The stomach contents of 14 (4 Female Female, 4 Male Male and 6 juveniles) Eirenis modestus specimens captured during various field studies in İzmir and Manisa provinces were examined, and a total of 44 prey items were found. An analysis of the stomach contents revealed that prey belonging to the classes Insecta (75%), Chilopoda (11%), and Reptilia (2%) constituted the diet of the species; the remaining prey could not be identified. The most frequently consumed prey were the orders Coleoptera (32%) and Orthoptera (21%) by number; Coleoptera (36%), Orthoptera (36%), and Scolopendromorpha (29%) by frequency; and Scolopendromorpha (72%) by volume. Based on these results, Eirenis modestus feeds predominantly on arthropods found under stones (86%).

DOI

-

Keywords

Dwarf snake, Eirenis modestus, food composition

First Page

399

Last Page

402

Recommended Citation

ÇİÇEK, K, & MERMER, A (2007). A Preliminary Study of the Food of the Dwarf Snake, Eirenis modestus (Martin, 1838) (Serpentes: Colubridae), in İzmir and Manisa Provinces. Turkish Journal of Zoology 31 (4): 399-402. https://doi.org/-