Feeding habits of Enyalius perditus (Squamata: Leiosauridae) in an Atlantic Forest remnant in southeastern Brazil

In the present study, we aimed to provide information regarding feeding habits and other ecological aspects of Enyalius perditus in an Atlantic Forest remnant in the state of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. Enyalius perditus individuals in Rio de Janeiro fed predominantly upon arthropods such as caterpillars, isopods, and spiders, as is typical of lizards in the genus. There were no pronounced variations in the main types of prey consumed between this and other populations of E. perditus studied in spite of potential differences in local food supplies between environments. The individuals consumed fragments of dead leaves, ingested prey commonly found in leaf litter (e.g., Isopoda and Coleoptera larvae), and were sometimes found on the ground or captured in pit-fall traps during fieldwork, which suggests that these lizards use the forest floor leaf litter for foraging and other activities, although they also use perches above ground level. Our study provides additional information and reinforces the idea of the use of both the vegetation and the leaf litter of forest floor by lizards of the genus Enyalius.