Variation in the Diet of Hatchling Morelet’s Crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii) in the Wild
Mariana González-Solórzano, Marco A. López-Luna, Laura T. Hernández-Salazar, Edgar Ahmed Bello-Sánchez, Jorge E. Morales-Mávil

TL;DR
This study examines the diet of young Morelet’s crocodiles as they transition from hatchlings to juveniles, revealing a shift toward more varied prey.
Contribution
The study identifies new prey items in hatchling crocodile diets and documents dietary changes during early development.
Findings
Hatchling Morelet’s crocodiles have a generalist diet including invertebrates and some vertebrates.
Two new prey items were observed in hatchling diets, not previously reported.
Dietary differences were found between smaller and larger hatchlings, indicating ontogenetic shifts.
Abstract
Crocodiles are one of nature’s most successful predators. Their prey varies according to their size. Adults are known to consume different types of vertebrates; juveniles have a similar diet, although their prey is smaller. However, hatchlings have a diet based mainly on insects. This study aimed to know the diet of hatchling Morelet’s crocodiles (Crocodylus moreletii) at a growth stage corresponding to their transition to the juvenile stage. Therefore, it is important to know which vertebrate prey are beginning to appear during this developmental change in crocodiles. To find out, we captured and washed the stomachs of 31 hatchling crocodiles in the Laguna de las Ilusiones in Tabasco, Mexico. Our results showed that crocodiles have a generalist diet, with prey ranging from invertebrates (mainly coleoptera and hemipterans) to some vertebrates (mostly fish and birds). It is important to…
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Taxonomy
TopicsTurtle Biology and Conservation · Fish biology, ecology, and behavior · Avian ecology and behavior
