01589naa a2200157 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001910000190006024501250007926000090020452011140021365000240132765300140135165300200136577300460138515233562024-04-23       1995    bl uuuu     u00u1 u    #d1 aSILVIUS, K. M.  aAvian consumers of cardon fruits (Stenocereus griseusbCactaceae) on Margarita Island, Venezuela.h[electronic resource]  c1995  aThe fruiting phenology and avian consumer set of card6n cactus (Stenocereus griseus) fruits were observed on the semiarid Macanao Peninsula of Margarita Island, Venezuela. The card6n population had two peak fruiting seasons (late May-early June and late August-early September) which correspond to the local rainy seasons, but many plants also produce low numbers of fruits throughout the year. Fruits were fed on continuously by a variety of consumers for several days while still attached to the plant. The avian consumer set induded 14 species and was dominated by two species of parrots (Aratinga pertinfax and the endangered Amazona barbadensis). Most of the avian consumers are omnivores that indude variable amounts of fruit in their diet. Feeding observations in the wild, captive feeding trials, and seed germination trials indicated that six of the bird species are seed predators, six act as seed dispersers, and two are neutral with respect to seed survival. Bats fed on the fruits but were unable to open the husks, and thus must rely on naturally dehisced fruits or fruits opened by psittacines.  aAmazona barbadensis  aCactaceas  aColumnar cactus  tBiotropicagv. 27, n. 1, p. 96-105, 1995.