Ophiophagy in Bothrops mattogrossensis: Predation on Helicops angulatus and potential for reciprocal interactions among Neotropical snakes

Abstract

We report Helicops angulatus as prey of Bothrops mattogrossensis in the Bolivian lowlands, a novel dietary record with implications for understanding trophic interactions among Neotropical snakes. While B. mattogrossensis is a known generalist predator, specific dietary records, particularly of ophiophagy, remain rare. Given the shared habitat preferences, similar body sizes, and overlapping activity periods of these two species, this interaction highlights the potential for bidirectional or reciprocal predation. Such interactions may be more common than previously recognized, yet remain undocumented due to limited field data. We discuss the ecological significance of this finding in the context of predator-prey dynamics and propose further investigation into reciprocal predation in Neotropical snake assemblages.