Apparent coordinated and communal hunting behaviours by Erabu sea krait Laticauda semifactiata

Ruchira Somaweera, Vinay Udyawer, A. A.Thasun Amarasinghe, Joe de Fresnes, Jay Catherall, Galina Molchanova

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Opportunistic observations of Erabu sea kraits (Laticauda semifaciata) provide evidence that this species undertake a novel foraging tactic; coordinated communal hunting. Erabu sea kraits prey on cryptic fish species in highly complex reef habitats. Intra- and interspecific cooperative hunting strategies may increase chances for all members of the hunting party to encounter and capture prey in these complex habitats. Here, we observed 52 instances of communal hunting by Erabu sea kraits with conspecifics and other predatory fishes at recreational dive sites in Southern Lombok, Indonesia. These observations highlight the potential higher cognitive capacity of sea kraits to coordinate activities around communal hunting events.

Original languageEnglish
Article number21471
Number of pages7
JournalScientific Reports
Volume13
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 6 Dec 2023

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Apparent coordinated and communal hunting behaviours by Erabu sea krait Laticauda semifactiata'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this