Compsophis sp.

Hutter, Carl Richard, Andriampenomanana, Zo F., Razafindraibe, Jary H., Rakotoarison, Dr. Andolalao & Scherz, Mark D., 2018, New dietary data from Compsophis and Alluaudina species (Squamata: Lamprophiidae: Pseudoxyrhophiinae), and implications for their dietary complexity and evolution, Journal of Natural History 52 (39 - 40), pp. 2497-2510 : 2504

Compsophis sp. aff. laphystius with Lygodactylus sp. in stomach

During nocturnal surveys near the road through Montagne d’ Ambre National Park (ca. 12.520°S, 49.179°E; 1030 m asl) at ca . 18h00 on 19 November 2017, we encountered a juvenile specimen of C. sp. aff. laphystius (specimen UADBA-R uncatalogued, MSZC 0657 , Figure 4 (b,c)) active on low foliage (<30 cm above the ground). During fixation of this specimen, we examined its gut contents and removed from the gut a specimen of Lygodactylus sp. (specimen UADBA-R uncatalogued, MSZC 0650 , Figure 4 (c)) . This specimen had been ingested tail-first, and only the anterior half of the body remained undigested.

Figures

Figure 4. Two Compsophis sp. aff. laphystius diet records. (a) An adult specimen (MSZC 0783) after regurgitating a large specimen of Platypelis grandis (MSZC 0755). (b, c) A juvenile specimen (MSZC 0657) (b) before and (c) after regurgitation beside (i.e. to scale with) the Lygodactylus sp. specimen (MSZC 0650) it had eaten.