Predation of Boana boans (Anura, Hylidae) by an opportunistic frugivorous primate

Abstract

Although relatively common among omnivorous primates, anurophagy is still poorly documented in frugivorous species. Here we report the predation of a giant gladiator treefrog (Boana boans) by a large arboreal frugivore, the gray woolly monkey (Lagothrix lagotricha cana). The predation event occurred in a stretch of riparian forest located in a fragmented region in Cacoal, Rondônia state, in southwestern Brazilian Amazonia. Anurans can be a profitable, non-contested, and relatively easily acquired alternative resource for gray woolly monkeys, helping to fulfill their demand for protein, especially in periods of fruit scarcity. This new record broadens the knowledge on the natural history and predators of the giant gladiator frog.