Exploring the predation of large land snails using preyed shell remains from rock anvil sites in a tropical limestone rainforest in Malaysia

Abstract

The study of prey-predator interactions between land snails and birds offers important insights into evolutionary and ecological relationships. Here, we report a case study of rock anvils presumably used by the birds Myophonus caeruleus and Enicurus ruficapillus in a cave cavity of a limestone hill in Malaysia. We did not detect any other species in the plots and, therefore, based on our short study duration, we cannot rule out the possibility that other species, such as mammals, preyed on the snails. The predated shell remains of four land snails namely, Hemiplecta sp., Cyclophorus perdix perdix, Amphidromus atricallosus perakensis and Cyclophorus semisulcatus, were found around rock anvils in the nine plots. Finally, we discussed the potential and the limitations of using shell remains of preyed land snails for behavioural, ecological and evolutionary studies between land snails and their predators.