Diet of Enyalius catenatus (Wied, 1821) (Reptilia: Leiosauridae) from Serra Bonita Reserve, Bahia, Brazil

Lizards of the genus Enyalius are restricted to forested areas distributed throughout eastern South America, but little is known about their ecology. The aim of this study was to analyse the diet of Enyalius catenatus (Wied, 1821) in the Serra Bonita Reserve. Specimens were found through active search and using pitfall traps. Individuals were measured and underwent a stomach flushing procedure to retrieve stomach contents. Prey was identified to the lowest possible taxonomical level. The most numerous items retrieved from the stomachs were: Isoptera, Hymenoptera (Formicidae) and Lepidoptera larvae. Items that showed higher relative frequencies of occurrence were, respectively, Lepidoptera larvae, Isopoda and Araneae. Volumetrically, Lepidoptera larvae, Orthoptera and Isoptera reached the highest values. The Index of Relative Importance (IRI) revealed Lepidoptera larvae as the most important food item. The diet composition revealed that lizards did not actively search for aggregated food sources and that their feeding strategy could be better described as being that of a “sit-and-wait” predator.