Two natural history notes were published in the June 2017 issue of Herpetological Review. One note reports a new prey item and a new maximum prey/predator mass ratio for the Chihuahuan Nightsnake (Hypsiglena jani) and is co-authored with Travis J. LaDuc. Previously, the maximum prey/predator mass ratio known for Hypsiglena was 0.54 reported by Lacey et al. (1996), but our observation increases the maximum to 0.58. The two prey items that were consumed by this individual were two Little Striped Whiptails (Aspidoscelis inornata). Additionally, this observation adds to the list of prey species known to be consumed by Hypsiglena as only two other species of Aspidoscelis have been reported in the diet of Hypsiglena. 

Davis DR, LaDuc TJ. 2017. Hypsiglena jani (Chihuahuan Nightsnake). Diet and Prey Size. Herpetological Review 48:450–451. [PDF]

The second is a report of predation of a juvenile North American Racer (Coluber constrictor) by a theridiid spider from Vermillion, South Dakota. One of my co-authors, Mark Dahlhoff, photographed and observed this incident over several days. While the exact circumstances leading to the snake’s entrapment in the spider web are unclear, it may be that the juvenile snake was attempting to either capture and consume the spider or other insects in the web. While spiders are known as prey items of Coluber constrictor, this is the first report of spider predation on this species of snake and may suggest bidirectional predator-prey interactions between these two species.

Davis DR, Farkas JK, Kerby JL, Dahlhoff MW. 2017. Coluber constrictor (North American Racer). Predation. Herpetological Review 48:446–447. [PDF]