@article{fdi:010069264,
  title = {{I}nvasive rodents, an overlooked threat for skinks in a tropical island hotspot of biodiversity},
  author = {{T}hibault, {M}. and {B}rescia, {F}. and {J}ourdan, {H}erv{\'e} and {V}idal, {E}ric},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{S}quamata are one of the most threatened groups among island vertebrates, facing high pressure from exotic species. {H}owever, the contribution of small terrestrial reptiles in invasive rodents' diet remains poorly investigated, partly because of the lack of tools for accurately identifying chewed prey fragments in gut contents. {T}he {N}ew {C}aledonia archipelago ({S}outh {P}acific) hosts an exceptional terrestrial squamata fauna (105 species, 91.6% endemic) that are faced with many invasive species (rodents, feral cats, feral pigs, ants) and strong human pressures. {O}ur study aimed to evaluate the frequency of occurrence of endemic skink remains by gut content analysis of two species of invasive rodents. {F}our rodent trapping sessions were implemented at two ultramafic sites and for two distinct habitats (closed canopy forest and open shrubland habitat). {A} total of 284 rats were trapped from two species (the ship rat {R}attus rattus and the {P}acific rat {R}. exulans) over 1200 trap nights. {C}ombined analysis of stomach and caecum contents provided far more information than traditional stomach analysis alone. {A}nalyses showed that 15.9% of rat samples included remains of at least 12 different skink species out of the 23 present. {S}ix species are classified as threatened by the {IUCN}, the most endangered being {M}armorosphax taom ({CR}) and {K}anakysaurus viviparus ({EN}). {T}his study provides new prospects for the assessment of invasive rodent impacts and new insights into the respective impacts of two sympatric invasive rodent species on native skinks.},
  keywords = {diet analysis ; endemic skinks ; island conservation ; {R}attus exulans ; {R}attus rattus ; {NOUVELLE} {CALEDONIE} ; {PACIFIQUE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{N}ew {Z}ealand {J}ournal of {E}cology},
  volume = {41},
  numero = {1},
  pages = {74--83},
  ISSN = {0110-6465},
  year = {2017},
  DOI = {10.20417/nzjecol.41.9},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010069264},
}