Mycophagy in the yellow-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis denticulatus): feeding trial experiments at Tijuca National Park (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

Larissa Trierveiler-Pereira; Emily dos Santos  Silva; Carolina  Starling-Manne; Juliano M.  Baltazar

doi:10.30550/j.lil/2073

Authors

Larissa Trierveiler-Pereira Laboratório de Estudos Micológicos (LEMic), Centro de Ciências da Natureza, Campus Lagoa do Sino, Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), Buri, SP, Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1276-2083
Emily dos Santos Silva Laboratório de Estudos Micológicos (LEMic), Centro de Ciências da Natureza, Campus Lagoa do Sino, Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), Buri, SP, Brazil. https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4315-0864
Carolina Starling-Manne Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação de Populações (LECP), Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). Refauna. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9486-6072
Juliano M. Baltazar Laboratório de Estudos Micológicos (LEMic), Centro de Ciências da Natureza, Campus Lagoa do Sino, Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), Buri, SP, Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9914-5108

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30550/j.lil/2073

Keywords:

Animal diet, chelonian, fauna reintroduction, fungi, fungivory

Abstract

The act of consuming any part of fungi is termed mycophagy. Certain basidiomes contain highly nutritious elements, such as proteins, vitamins, and minerals, which can be extremely valuable in the animal diet. Mycophagous behavior in animals is well-documented in ethological studies; however, due to the scarcity of macrofungi experts in Brazil, the fungal species consumed are often not identified. The Tijuca National Park (TNP) is a fragment of the Atlantic Forest located in the city of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), covering an area of 3,953 hectares. The Refauna Association works within TNP to restore ecological interactions in the area through the reintroduction of vertebrate species previously present in the region. One of the reintroduced species is the yellow-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis denticulatus), a terrestrial chelonian. Several studies have documented the mycophagous behavior of chelonians; however, it is important to emphasize the lack of studies dedicated to identifying the fungal species comprising their diet. In November 2021, cafeteria-style feeding trials were conducted with Refauna’s yellow-footed tortoises, in which they were offered the macrofungi collected from TNP were offered to the animals. A total of 21 basidiomycete specimens representing 13 taxa, were collected and offered. The morphology of the offered macrofungi was highly diverse, including agaricoid mushrooms, jelly fungi, gasteroid fungi (earthstar and sequestrate form), and coralloid fungi. The macrofungi were offered to seven individual tortoises, and only one rejected the offered mushrooms. Basidiomes from ten species were consumed by the tortoises, while three were either rejected or only partially accepted.

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