Predation record of a Common Chuckwalla, Sauromalus ater (Iguanidae), by a Giant Desert Centipede, Scolopendra heros (Scolopendridae)

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REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS • 30: e18966 • 2023
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The Common Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater) is widely dis-
tributed in arid zones of the USA and Mexico (Uetz et al.
2023). It is a large (up to 23 cm in length) iguanid lizard with
loose, baggy skin on the sides of the body and neck. Adults
have dark coloration, sometimes with a red trunk, while the
young are gray with black or dark gray crossbands. The diet
Predation Record of a Common Chuckwalla,
Sauromalus ater (Iguanidae),
by a Giant Desert Centipede,
Scolopendra heros (Scolopendridae)
Daniel Koleska1, Martin Ertner², Petr Hammerschmied3, Ondřej Trávníček4, Tomáš Holer5, Dylan Souder6
1Zoopark Zájezd, Zájezd 5, Zájezd, 273 43, Czech Republic (koleska@zoopark-zajezd.cz)
2Josefa Jarosche 472, Žacléř, 542 01, Czech Republic (ertnermartin@seznam.cz)
3Repti Planet, Plaček Pet Products s.r.o., Revoluční 1381/III, Poděbrady, 290 01, Czech Republic (petr.hammerschmied@placek.cz)
4Zoological and Botanical Garden Pilsen, Pod Vinicemi 9, Pilsen, 301 00, Czech Republic
5Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Praha – Suchdol, 165 00, Czech Republic
6668 Bluerock Road Gardnerville, NV 89460, Nevada, USA
Figure 1. An adult Giant Desert Centipede devouring a juvenile Common Chuckwalla. Photo credit: Martin Ertner.
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IRCF REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS • VOL15, NO 4 • DEC 2008 189TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FEATURE ARTICLES
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A Hypothetical Excursion ............................................................................................................................Robert W. Henderson 198
RESEARCH ARTICLES
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The Knight Anole (Anolis equestris) in Florida
.............................................Brian J. Camposano, Kenneth L. Krysko, Kevin M. Enge, Ellen M. Donlan, and Michael Granatosky 212
CONSERVATION ALERT
World’s Mammals in Crisis ............................................................................................................................................................. 220
More Than Mammals ...................................................................................................................................................................... 223
The “Dow Jones Index” of Biodiversity ........................................................................................................................................... 225
HUSBANDRY
Captive Care of the Central Netted Dragon ....................................................................................................... Shannon Plummer 226
PROFILE
Kraig Adler: A Lifetime Promoting Herpetology ................................................................................................ Michael L. Treglia 234
COMMENTARY
The Turtles Have Been Watching Me ........................................................................................................................ Eric Gangloff 238
BOOK REVIEW
Threatened Amphibians of the World edited by S.N. Stuart, M. Hoffmann, J.S. Chanson, N.A. Cox,
R. Berridge, P. Ramani, and B.E. Young .............................................................................................................. Robert Powell 243
CONSERVATION RESEARCH REPORTS: Summaries of Published Conservation Research Reports ................................. 245
NATURAL HISTORY RESEARCH REPORTS: Summaries of Published Reports on Natural History ................................. 247
NEWBRIEFS ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 248
EDITORIAL INFORMATION ..................................................................................................................................................... 251
FOCUS ON CONSERVATION: A Project You Can Support ............................................................................................... 252
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CONSERVATION AND NATURAL HISTORY

KOLESKA ET AL. REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS • 30: e18966 • 2023
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of this species consists of a variety of plants and occasionally
insects. Chuckwallas may retreat into narrow rock crevices
when threatened. They use body inflation to wedge them-
selves in these crevices (Holycross et al. 2022).
At approx. 0640 h On 9 September 2022, we encoun-
tered an adult Giant Desert Centipede (Scolopendra heros)
feeding on a juvenile Common Chuckwalla. The observation
was made in a locality in the Tinajas Altas Moutains, Arizona,
USA, 1 mile south of Raven Butte at the bottom of a wash
formed of granite. Air temperature was already approx. 32 °C
(89.6 °F). The lizard seemed to be freshly killed. When dis-
turbed, the centipede furiously defended its prey. We observed
this scene for 40 min in which the centipede separated the liz-
ard’s head and started to feed on it from inside. Invertebrates
preying on vertebrates are events generally considered as rare.
According to a review by Valdez (2020), arthropods prey-
ing on Iguanidae were documented only in one case. To the
best of our knowledge, this is the first documented case of an
invertebrate preying on a Common Chuckwalla.
Acknowledgements
We thank Randall D. Babb for encouraging us to publish our
observation. This work was funded by Repti Planet through
Repti Planet Arizona Adventure documentary series.
Literature Cited
Holycross, A.T., T.C. Brennan, and R. D. Babb. 2022. A Field Guide to Amphibians
and Reptiles in Arizona. 2nd ed. Arizona Game and Fish Department,
Arizona, USA.
Uetz, P., P. Freed, R. Aguilar, and J. Hošek (eds.). 2023. The Reptile Database.
<http://www.reptile-database.org>.
Valdez, J.W. 2020. Arthropods as vertebrate predators: A review of global patterns.
Global Ecology and Biogeography 29: 1691–1703. https://doi.org/0.1111/
geb.13157.