Endemic species predation by the introduced smooth-billed ani in Galápagos

The introduced smooth-billed ani Crotophaga ani has become widespread across the Galápagos archipelago in the past half-century. It is known to predate upon a range of native and endemic species, and is a potential vector for the spread of invasive plants and parasites. Here we report previously und...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biological invasions 2020-07, Vol.22 (7), p.2113-2120
Main Authors: Cooke, Sophia C., Anchundia, David, Caton, Emma, Haskell, Lucy E., Jäger, Heinke, Kalki, Yatindra, Mollá, Óscar, Rodríguez, Jacqueline, Schramer, Tristan D., Walentowitz, Anna, Fessl, Birgit
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Archipelagoes
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Developmental Biology
Ecology
Endemic species
Freshwater & Marine Ecology
Indigenous species
Introduced species
Invasion Note
Invasive plants
Invertebrates
Life Sciences
Parasites
Plant Sciences
Pollinators
Predation
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Summary:The introduced smooth-billed ani Crotophaga ani has become widespread across the Galápagos archipelago in the past half-century. It is known to predate upon a range of native and endemic species, and is a potential vector for the spread of invasive plants and parasites. Here we report previously undocumented examples of smooth-billed ani predation in Galápagos, including that of an endemic racer snake and a scorpion. We highlight the possibility of smooth-billed anis having a serious impact on the endemic Galápagos carpenter bee, a major pollinator, as well as native and endemic Lepidopterans and other invertebrates. In addition, we report smooth-billed ani predation of other introduced species and note the importance of further research on the wide-scale impacts of smooth-billed anis in Galápagos and their role within the archipelago’s ecological networks.
ISSN:1387-3547
1573-1464
DOI:10.1007/s10530-020-02251-3