SREL
Reprint #2642
Sea
Kraits (Squainata: Laticauda spp.) as a Useful Bioassay
for Assessing Local Diversity of Eels (Muraenidae, Congridae)
in the Western Pacific Ocean
ROBERT
N. REED, RICHARD SHINE, AND SOHAN SHETTY
Collection of eels of the families Muraenidae and Congridae
is often hampered by logistical and procedural difficulties.
Sea kraits of the genus Laticauda may be useful bioassays
for moray and conger eels in the western Pacific Ocean.
Some widely distributed species of Laticauda appear
to prey exclusively on eels, and these eels are readily
palpated from snakes after they return to land to digest
their prey. We removed 79 eels from 276 snakes on the island
of Efate, Republic of Vanuatu, during November and December
of 2000. Species diversity inferred from these eels was
markedly different from the diversity inferred from eels
from Vanuatu deposited in the Australian Museum, perhaps
reflecting differential abilities of snakes and humans to
capture certain eel species. This bioassay technique is
inexpensive and logistically simple and may prove complementary
to more traditional collecting
methods.
SREL
Reprint #2642
