Diurnal feeding behaviour of crab-eating raccoon upon a paradoxal frog, with a review of its diet

Abstract

The crab-eating raccoon (Procyon cancrivorus) is considered one of the less-studied Neotropical carnivores. Observations about its behavior are difficult as it is mainly nocturnal, shy, and inconspicuous. This species is considered opportunistic, with a frugivorous-omnivorous diet. It is known to feed on fruits and invertebrates as well as small mammals and lizards. Herein, we describe a first direct observation of a crab-eating raccoon hunting for frogs during the daytime. It is also a first record of predation on a paradoxal frog (Pseudis platensis) by P. cancrivorus. We further present a detailed literature review about its diet. We compiled a total of 14 papers published from 1986 to 2019, including eight studies that characterize the diet of P. cancrivorus. According to these studies, the diet of P. cancrivorus constitutes of 35 vegetal taxa and 96 animal taxa. Thus, the here presented record of predation on a frog by P. cancrivorus is not only the first visual description of this behavior, it also reinforces the knowledge about its generalist and opportunistic diet. It is further the first evidence of the daytime behavior for the crab-eating raccoon in the Pantanal.