Opossums (Mammalia: Didelphidae) in the diets of Neotropical pitvipers (Serpentes: Crotalinae): Evidence for alternative coevolutionary outcomes?

Opossums and pitvipers are sympatric throughout most of the New World, but trophic relationships between these speciose clades have only recently attracted the attention of researchers. Although it is now known that some venom-resistant opossums prey on pitvipers, a review of the literature on diets...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Toxicon (Oxford) 2013-05, Vol.66, p.1-6
Main Author: Voss, Robert S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Physiological - physiology
Animals
antagonists
Arms race
Biological Evolution
blood proteins
Bothrops
Cladding
Coevolution
Crotalinae
Didelphidae
diet
Diets
Evolutionary
Literature reviews
Mammalia
opossums
Opossums - physiology
Predation
Predatory Behavior - physiology
researchers
Serpentes
Serum proteins
Snake Venoms - metabolism
Snake Venoms - toxicity
toxins
trophic relationships
tropics
Venom
Venom toxins
venoms
Viperidae - physiology
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Summary:Opossums and pitvipers are sympatric throughout most of the New World, but trophic relationships between these speciose clades have only recently attracted the attention of researchers. Although it is now known that some venom-resistant opossums prey on pitvipers, a review of the literature on diets shows that some Neotropical pitvipers prey on opossums. Interestingly, some pitviper species prey on opossums known or suspected to be venom resistant. If venom resistance and venom potency are coevolved traits, then these observations suggest that alternative outcomes may result in role-switching between victims and exploiters. Because molecular antagonists (e.g., venom toxins and toxin-neutralizing serum proteins) that could mediate such outcomes have been plausibly identified, this system is a potentially fruitful field for evolutionary research. ► I review published and unpublished records of pitviper predation on opossums. ► Many opossums are eaten by pitvipers, including some species that are venom-resistant. ► Venom-resistant opossums are already known to prey on pitvipers, so. ► These observations suggest coevolutionary role-switching between victims and exploiters.
ISSN:0041-0101
1879-3150
DOI:10.1016/j.toxicon.2013.01.013