Journal of Ecology and Environment

The Ecological Society of Korea (한국생태학회)
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Predation of the Japanese keelback (Hebius vibakari Boie, 1826) by the Slender racer (Orientocoluber spinalis Peters, 1866)

  • Park, Il-Kook (Division of Science Education, Kangwon National University) ;
  • Park, Jaejin (Department of Regional Innovation, Kangwon National University) ;
  • Park, Jiho (Department of Biology, Kangwon National University) ;
  • Min, Seong-Hun (Division of Science Education, Kangwon National University) ;
  • Grajal-Puche, Alejandro (Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University) ;
  • Park, Daesik (Division of Science Education, Kangwon National University)
  • Received : 2021.07.21
  • Accepted : 2021.10.05
  • Published : 2021.12.31
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Abstract

Background: The Slender racer (Orientocoluber spinalis Peters, 1866) has recently been reclassified to the new genus Orientocoluber from Hierophis. Ecological knowledge of this species is limited due to its highly mobile behavior. On 17 July 2020, we captured a female O. spinalis on Oeyeon Island, Boryeong-si, Republic of Korea, and collected its feces for a diet analysis. We observed snake scales from the collected feces and subsequently determined the prey species through morphological and molecular methods. Results: We initially hypothesized that the extracted fecal sample scales belonged to H. vibakari, due to their thin keel and rhombus shape. We also amplified H. vibakari DNA from the extracted fecal sample using Illumina sequencing methods. Our morphological and molecular results suggest that O. spinalis predates H. vibakari on Oeyeon Island. Conclusion: This is the first report of O. spinalis predating another snake species, ophiophagy, and implies that H. vibakari may be a crucial prey item for O. spinalis on Oeyeon Island.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (No. 2020R1I1A3051885).

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