About diet of Vipera ursinii (Bonaparte, 1835) in a central Apennine grassland landscape: what do they eat when orthoptera are not present?

Gabriele Achille; Andrea Brusaferro; Csaba  Szabó; Nazzareno Polini

doi:10.30550/j.azl/2062

Autores/as

Gabriele Achille University of Macerata https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6925-2082
Andrea Brusaferro School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, via Gentile III da Varano, IT-62032, Camerino (Macerata), Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5588-2360
Csaba Szabó epartment of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2234-204X
Nazzareno Polini Studio Naturalistico, 63900 Fermo, Italy https://orcid.org/0009-0000-0212-438X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30550/j.azl/2062

Palabras clave:

Vipera ursinii, estrategia de depredación, hábitos alimentarios, amplitud de nicho

Resumen

Vipera ursinii tiene un período de actividad muy corto y una población fragmentada; vive en hábitats similares, pero a diferentes altitudes. Dada su distribución en Italia, este estudio se centró en poblaciones de montaña que frecuentan pastos primarios por encima del límite forestal, entre 1600 y 1850 m s.n.m. En estas altitudes y latitudes, la serpiente es conocida por ser un gran consumidor de ortópteros de pradera. El objetivo de la investigación es identificar y analizar la dieta de la Vipera ursinii en un período en el que no dispone de ortópteros. El presente trabajo se llevó a cabo en los Apeninos (Italia central), y los sujetos estudiados fueron juveniles y adultos. La dieta de esta serpiente nunca se había estudiado en las áreas mencionadas, por lo que los resultados de la investigación aportan nuevos conocimientos. Se analizó material regurgitado y excrementos obtenidos mediante palpación ventral no invasiva. Los principales resultados indican la presencia en la dieta de nuevos taxones, como hormigas, babosas y orugas. Este nuevo conocimiento podría brindar una nueva perspectiva sobre este taxón, potencialmente vulnerable a los cambios ambientales debido a fenómenos de alteración térmica ambiental.

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Biografía del autor/a

Andrea Brusaferro, School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, via Gentile III da Varano, IT-62032, Camerino (Macerata), Italy

Nazzareno Polini, Studio Naturalistico, 63900 Fermo, Italy

Citas

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