Holcosus festivus (Central American Whiptail Lizard): Diet and Feeding Behavior

Abstract

Holcosus festivus is a moderate-size, terrestrial lizard (males: 85–129 mm SVL; females: 78–129 mm SVL) that occurs mostly at the edge of, or occasionally in deep, mature forests and disturbed areas, where it actively forages in the late morning and early afternoon. Its diet is diverse, but the most common prey are orthopterans and spiders although it is also known to eat amphibians and lizards, including conspecifics. Despite being common and relatively well-studied, its foraging behaviors appear to be often overlooked, possibly because its daily activities occur within cryptic understory environments. Here we present two instances of H. festivus concerning its diet and feeding behaviors at Veragua Rainforest Preserve, Las Brisas de Veragua, Limón, Costa Rica.