Filial cannibalism in rainbow boas (Epicrates cenchria and E. assisi)

Cannibalism, or intraspecific predation, refers to the practice in which an individual completely or partially consumes another conspecific. Filial cannibalism occurs when parents consume their own offspring, whether they are alive or stillborn. This study describes filial cannibalism behavior in ju...

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Main Authors: Gabriela Ramos, Tiago de Oliveira Lima, Selma Maria de Almeida-Santos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-01-01
Series:Theriogenology Wild
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773093X24000424
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author Gabriela Ramos
Tiago de Oliveira Lima
Selma Maria de Almeida-Santos
author_facet Gabriela Ramos
Tiago de Oliveira Lima
Selma Maria de Almeida-Santos
author_sort Gabriela Ramos
collection DOAJ
description Cannibalism, or intraspecific predation, refers to the practice in which an individual completely or partially consumes another conspecific. Filial cannibalism occurs when parents consume their own offspring, whether they are alive or stillborn. This study describes filial cannibalism behavior in just one female of each species, Amazon rainbow boa (Epicrates cenchria) and the Caatinga rainbow boa (E. assisi). We observed that female E. cenchria and E. assisi only consumed atretic eggs. A female E. cenchria consumed two out of the eight atretic eggs she delivered, while sparing the four neonates and the only stillborn fetus in her litter. A female E. assisi consumed two out of the four atretic eggs and attempted to ingest the amniotic sacs and liquid yolk throughout the entire observation, sparing two neonates. This is the first documented record of such behavior in E. assisi.
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spelling doaj-art-dfcd0c87562e4e56b03b5c6125ba5b8d2025-08-20T02:50:25ZengElsevierTheriogenology Wild2773-093X2024-01-01510011110.1016/j.therwi.2024.100111Filial cannibalism in rainbow boas (Epicrates cenchria and E. assisi)Gabriela Ramos0Tiago de Oliveira Lima1Selma Maria de Almeida-Santos2Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, Butantã, São Paulo, SP 05503-900, Brazil; Corresponding author.Jiboias Brasil Commercial Breeding Center, Rua Contagem, 20B, Betim, MG 32670-402, BrazilLaboratory of Ecology and Evolution, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, Butantã, São Paulo, SP 05503-900, BrazilCannibalism, or intraspecific predation, refers to the practice in which an individual completely or partially consumes another conspecific. Filial cannibalism occurs when parents consume their own offspring, whether they are alive or stillborn. This study describes filial cannibalism behavior in just one female of each species, Amazon rainbow boa (Epicrates cenchria) and the Caatinga rainbow boa (E. assisi). We observed that female E. cenchria and E. assisi only consumed atretic eggs. A female E. cenchria consumed two out of the eight atretic eggs she delivered, while sparing the four neonates and the only stillborn fetus in her litter. A female E. assisi consumed two out of the four atretic eggs and attempted to ingest the amniotic sacs and liquid yolk throughout the entire observation, sparing two neonates. This is the first documented record of such behavior in E. assisi.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773093X24000424BoidaeFilial cannibalismEpicratesReproductionSquamata
spellingShingle Gabriela Ramos
Tiago de Oliveira Lima
Selma Maria de Almeida-Santos
Filial cannibalism in rainbow boas (Epicrates cenchria and E. assisi)
Theriogenology Wild
Boidae
Filial cannibalism
Epicrates
Reproduction
Squamata
title Filial cannibalism in rainbow boas (Epicrates cenchria and E. assisi)
title_full Filial cannibalism in rainbow boas (Epicrates cenchria and E. assisi)
title_fullStr Filial cannibalism in rainbow boas (Epicrates cenchria and E. assisi)
title_full_unstemmed Filial cannibalism in rainbow boas (Epicrates cenchria and E. assisi)
title_short Filial cannibalism in rainbow boas (Epicrates cenchria and E. assisi)
title_sort filial cannibalism in rainbow boas epicrates cenchria and e assisi
topic Boidae
Filial cannibalism
Epicrates
Reproduction
Squamata
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773093X24000424
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