Consistency in trophic strategies between populations of the Sardinian endemic salamander Speleomantes imperialis
Sebastiano Salvidio
Frank Pasmans
Sergé Bogaerts
An Martel
Martijn van de Loo
Antonio Romano
10.6084/m9.figshare.4763422.v1
https://brill.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Consistency_in_trophic_strategies_between_populations_of_the_Sardinian_endemic_salamander_Speleomantes_imperialis/4763422
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<br></p><p>The study of trophic ecology of terrestrial salamanders is central for a
better understanding of their adaptability and dispersal, in particular in
Mediterranean ecosystems where their feeding activity is reduced because of
prolonged arid periods. Terrestrial salamanders are generalist predators that
feed on a large array of invertebrate prey groups, however, there are few
studies comparing the feeding strategy and the trophic specialization at the
individual level in conspecific populations of salamanders living in different
habitats. In this study, two populations of the Sardinian endemic salamander <i>Speleomantes
imperialis </i>were sampled in areas characterized by different
climate, vegetation and geological substrate. Dietary habits, obtained by
stomach flushing, and physiological condition, assessed through a body
condition index, were analysed and compared between populations. The two
populations displayed different diets on the basis of the taxonomic composition
of prey categories, but both of them behaved as generalist predators and shared
a similar body condition index. Moreover, in both populations the indices of
individual trophic specialization were significantly different from null models
assuming a random prey distribution among predators. Therefore, the two
populations were largely composed by individually specialized salamanders.
Overall, these findings are in good agreement with other studies on the trophic
ecology of top predators and in particular of terrestrial salamanders. The realized
trophic strategies, i.e. generalist at the population and specialist at the
individual level, were highly consistent geographically and the two populations
exploited the different arrays of prey found in their environments similarly. </p><p>
<br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>
<p>realized trophic strategies, i.e. generalist at the population and specialist at the individual level, were</p>
2017-03-17 11:30:54
Feeding strategy
generalist
individual specialization
Plethodontidae
Sardinia
specialist
trophic level
Animal Behaviour
Behavioural Ecology
Zoology