scholarly journals Autecology of the lizard Colobosauroides cearensis (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae) from Brazilian semiarid Caatinga

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-223
Author(s):  
Aldenir Ferreira da Silva Neta ◽  
Cicera Silvilene Leite Matias ◽  
Robson Waldemar Ávila
Keyword(s):  
Domain Knowledge ◽  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Trophic Niche ◽  
Microhabitat Use ◽  
Prey Category ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Brazilian Semiarid ◽  
History Of ◽  
Gravid Females ◽  
Average Body

Autecology of the lizard Colobosauroides cearensis (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae) from Brazilian semiarid Caatinga. Colobosauroides cearensis is a diurnal lizard with a relictual distribution associated with forested habitats in the Brazilian Caatinga Domain. Knowledge of the natural history of this secretive lizard is scarce. Herein, the diet, reproduction, sexual dimorphism, microhabitat use, and thermal ecology of C. cearensis are described based on feldwork in 2015–2017 in the state of Ceará, Brazil. The diet of the lizards is composed exclusively of arthropods, with Formicidae being the most important prey category. Numerical and volumetric niche breadths are 5.52 and 9.2 respectively, and trophic niche overlap between females and males is 0.3. Males are distinguished from females by the larger size of the males and the presence of femoral pores. Colobosauroides cearensis is cryptozoic, inhabiting the leaf litter and having no direct contact with the soil or solar radiation. The average body temperature of the lizards is 30.4 ± 3.3°C, which is positively correlated with the air temperature. Gravid females with fxed clutch size of two eggs are found in early rainy season. Oviposition occurs between April and May (when the highest number of juveniles are observed). Sexual maturity occurs early in males and testicular volume is signifcantly correlated with body size.

scholarly journals Diet and trophic niche overlap of Boana bischoffi and Boana marginata (Anura: Hylidae) in southern Brazil

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Camila F. Moser ◽  
Mateus de Oliveira ◽  
Fernanda R. de Avila ◽  
Diogo Dutra-Araújo ◽  
Renata K. Farina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Niche Breadth ◽  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Food Composition ◽  
Trophic Niche ◽  
Southern Brazil ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
History Of

Abstract: The species Boana bischoffi and Boana marginata are endemic to the Atlantic Forest, where they often occur in sympatry. There is a large gap in the knowledge of natural history of both species. In this study, we aimed to describe and compare the diet composition of B. bischoffi and B. marginata in the southern domain of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We analyzed the gastrointestinal contents of 43 individuals of B. bischoffi and 30 individuals of B. marginata. Both showed a high trophic niche overlap (0.90 Ojk). The most important prey categories for both species belonged to the orders Araneae and Coleoptera. The species niche breadth (Bsta) varied from 0.35 to 0.42, suggesting a generalist feeding behavior for both species. Our data provide unprecedented information on these species' food composition, contributing to a better knowledge of the natural history of neotropical anurans.

scholarly journals Microhabitat use, daily activity pattern and diet of Liolaemus etheridgei Laurent, 1998 (Reptilia: Liolaemidae) in the Andean Polylepis forests of Arequipa, Peru

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irbin Llanqui ◽  
Bryn Edwards ◽  
Evaristo Lopez
Keyword(s):  
Activity Pattern ◽  
Daily Activity ◽  
Negative Selection ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Trophic Niche ◽  
Microhabitat Use ◽  
Prey Category ◽  
Daily Activity Pattern ◽  
Selection For

This study compared the microhabitat use, daily activity pattern and diet of Liolaemus etheridgei Laurent 1998 in two Polylepis woodlands: El Simbral (fragmented) and Tuctumpaya (unfragmented), in Arequipa, Southern Peru. In both populations, we did not detect positive selection for any microhabitat; however, the population at El Simbral showed a negative selection for Polylepys trees while the Tuctumpaya population showed negative selection for Polylepis trees and non-thorny bushes. In El Simbral, active individuals were detected between 9:00 and 15:59h, whereas in Tuctumpaya, we detected active individuals from 8:00 to 17:59h. In both populations, observations of active individuals dropped between 11:00 and 11:59h. We recorded 17 and 23 prey categories in the El Simbral and Tuctumpaya populations respectively. The most important animal prey category in each population was found to be Lygaeidae: Hemiptera, and was the only animal prey category that was selected for in El Simbral and Tuctumpaya. In addition, due to the proportions of plant material found, the El Simbral was found to be omnivorous, whereas the Tuctumpaya population was herbivorous. Trophic niche breadth was broader in Tuctumpaya (B_a= 0.202) than the El Simbral (B_a= 0.147) population, despite there being no significant differences in diet (Permanova: F = 1.036, P = 0.409, permutations = 9999), which is coherent with the high value of trophic niche overlap (O_(j,k) = 0.963). Our compiled data reveal that L. etheridgei shows no selection for any of the resources we define in Polylepis woodlands, on the contrary, it selects negatively against Polylepis trees and non-thorny bushes. The daily activity patterns indicate a bimodal pattern with peaks at 9:00-10:59 and 13:00-13:59 h. The diet of L. etheridgei consists mainly of plants (%W: 66.373), and the most important animal prey category is Lygaeidae: Hemiptera (%IRI = 55.3), which is selected positively.

scholarly journals Lizard assemblage from a sand dune habitat from southeastern Brazil: a niche overlap analysis

2016 ◽  
Vol 88 (suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 677-687 ◽  
Author(s):  
GISELE R. WINCK ◽  
FABIO HATANO ◽  
DAVOR VRCIBRADIC ◽  
MONIQUE VAN SLUYS ◽  
CARLOS F.D. ROCHA
Keyword(s):  
Coastal Area ◽  
Sand Dune ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Trophic Niche ◽  
Null Models ◽  
The Other ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Microhabitat Use ◽  
Overlap Analysis

ABSTRACT Communities are structured by interactions of historical and ecological factors, which influence the use of different resources in time and space. We acquired data on time of activity, microhabitat use and diet of a lizard assemblage from a sand dune habitat in a coastal area, southeastern Brazil (Restinga de Jurubatiba). We analyzed the data of niche overlap among species in these three axes (temporal, spatial and trophic) using null models. We found a significant overlap within the trophic niche, whereas the overlap for the other axes did not differ from the expected. Based on this result, we discuss the factors acting on the structure of the local lizard community.

scholarly journals On the natural history of the Caatinga Horned Frog, Ceratophrys joazeirensis (Anura: Ceratophryidae), a poorly known species of northeastern Brazil

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaqueiuto Da Silva Jorge ◽  
Raul Fernandes Dantas Sales ◽  
Marcelo Nogueira de Carvalho Kokubum ◽  
Eliza Maria Xavier Freire
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
Clutch Size ◽  
Temporary Ponds ◽  
Northeastern Brazil ◽  
Female Body Size ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Brazilian Semiarid ◽  
History Of ◽  
Bodies Of Water ◽  
Santa Maria

On the natural history of the Caatinga Horned Frog, Ceratophrys joazeirensis (Anura: Ceratrophryidae), a poorly known species of northeastern Brazil. Data on reproduction, sexual dimorphism, and the diet of Ceratophrys joazeirensis, the only species of the genus that occurs in the Brazilian semiarid Caatinga Biome, are presented. Anurans were observed and collected in Santa Maria Municipality, state of Rio Grande do Norte in northeastern Brazil. Fieldwork was conducted at night either after or during rains throughout the rainy season in 2010–2013. Searches were conducted near places where males were calling, usually around the perimeters of bodies of water. Reproduction is explosive in the population, with breeding activity occurring as the rain intensified during the rainy seasons of 2011–2013. However, in 2010, neither calling males nor active females were found, even after rainy days. Although males call in temporary and permanent ponds, most males call in the marginal vegetation of temporary ponds. Females C. joazeirensis are significantly larger than males. The average clutch size is 2555.0 ± 1551.1 eggs; clutch size is not significantly correlated with female body size. In decreasing order of volume, the most important prey categories in the diet of C. joazeirensis are anurans, followed by coleopterans and plant material. The apparent importance of anurans in the diet probably is related to the number of anuran species that co-occur with C. joazeirensis and the voracious feeding behavior of ceratophryids.

Body size as an important factor determining trophic niche partitioning in three syntopic rhinolophid bat species

Biologia ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michal Andreas ◽  
Antonín Reiter ◽  
Eva Cepáková ◽  
Marcel Uhrin
Keyword(s):  
Species Coexistence ◽  
Niche Partitioning ◽  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Trophic Niche ◽  
Prey Category ◽  
Faecal Pellets ◽  
Preferred Habitat ◽  
Stable Species ◽  
Percentage Volume ◽  
Body Sizes

AbstractWe investigated a community of syntopically occurring horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus hipposideros, R. euryale, R. ferrumequinum) in southern Slovakia. The faecal pellets of these bat species were collected in the field and later analysed under a dissecting microscope. The three species studied are known to be very similar as far as their ecology, echolocation and preferred habitats are concerned, but they diverge significantly in their body sizes. In this study, all three species fed predominantly on moths [59–80 percentage frequency (%f); 87–95 percentage volume (%vol)], but their diet compositions differed in the size of individuals consumed. The smallest bat species (R. hipposideros) fed only on the smallest moths (%f = 59; %vol = 87), the medium-sized species (R. euryale) mainly on medium-sized moths (%f = 60; %vol = 74) and the largest one (R. ferrumequinum) especially on the largest moths (%f = 54; %vol = 89). Despite similar preferred habitat and the main prey category, the rates of trophic niche overlap were surprisingly low. The trophic niche percentage overlap was 7–31% (computed from %f data) and 1–20% (computed from %vol data), respectively and suggests an extraordinary importance of mere divergences of bats in their body sizes for trophic niche partitioning and stable species coexistence.

scholarly journals Changes in prey importance and prey niche overlap of sexes during the alpine newt breeding season

2020 ◽  
Vol 146 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oldřich Kopecký
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Trophic Niche ◽  
Sexual Differences ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Quantitative Composition ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Alpine Newt ◽  
Prey Items

Urodeles, including European newts, are usually sexually dimorphic predators. Among newts, the alpine newt has the most pronounced sexual size dimorphism (in favour of females). Gender is a factor that is often associated with intra-specific diet differences. Despite the significant number of dietary studies on the alpine newt, some topics such as the breadth of the trophic niche and its overlap between sexes, or inter-sexual differences in qualitative and quantitative composition of prey remain unresolved. The present study dealing with these questions was conducted at two localities (ponds at an elevation of about 450 m) in the Czech Republic. Newts were captured from the banks during the entire breeding season using a dip net, and the stomach contents were extracted using a stomach flushing technique. Altogether 190 individuals were sampled, and a total of 1,417 prey items were obtained. The available food sources differed over the course of the breeding season, as newts changed the taxa they preyed on. This reflects the ability of newts to switch between several hunting strategies. The overall food niche overlap between the sexes was relatively large (C = 0.761, resp. C = 0.797). Inter-sexual differences were detected at both localities, mainly in the number of prey items consumed from the most important prey categories such as Rana eggs or Isopoda, which were consumed in higher numbers by females. The findings of this study suggest that females are more sensitive to the trade-off between energy intake and expenditure during the breeding season.

scholarly journals The food web in a subterranean ecosystem is driven by intraguild predation

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Parimuchová ◽  
Lenka Petráková Dušátková ◽  
Ľubomír Kováč ◽  
Táňa Macháčková ◽  
Ondřej Slabý ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Web ◽  
Trophic Interactions ◽  
Intraguild Predation ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Trophic Niche ◽  
High Availability ◽  
Large Prey ◽  
Arthropod Predators ◽  
Body Sizes

AbstractTrophic interactions of cave arthropods have been understudied. We used molecular methods (NGS) to decipher the food web in the subterranean ecosystem of the Ardovská Cave (Western Carpathians, Slovakia). We collected five arthropod predators of the species Parasitus loricatus (gamasid mites), Eukoenenia spelaea (palpigrades), Quedius mesomelinus (beetles), and Porrhomma profundum and Centromerus cavernarum (both spiders) and prey belonging to several orders. Various arthropod orders were exploited as prey, and trophic interactions differed among the predators. Linear models were used to compare absolute and relative prey body sizes among the predators. Quedius exploited relatively small prey, while Eukoenenia and Parasitus fed on relatively large prey. Exploitation of eggs or cadavers is discussed. In contrast to previous studies, Eukoenenia was found to be carnivorous. A high proportion of intraguild predation was found in all predators. Intraspecific consumption (most likely cannibalism) was detected only in mites and beetles. Using Pianka’s index, the highest trophic niche overlaps were found between Porrhomma and Parasitus and between Centromerus and Eukoenenia, while the lowest niche overlap was found between Parasitus and Quedius. Contrary to what we expected, the high availability of Diptera and Isopoda as a potential prey in the studied system was not corroborated. Our work demonstrates that intraguild diet plays an important role in predators occupying subterranean ecosystems.

Trophic niche overlap between native freshwater mussels (Order: Unionida) and the invasive Corbicula fluminea

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Modesto ◽  
Ester Dias ◽  
Martina Ilarri ◽  
Manuel Lopes‐Lima ◽  
Amílcar Teixeira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Freshwater Mussels ◽  
Corbicula Fluminea ◽  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Trophic Niche

scholarly journals Ecology of colonizing populations of the figfly Zaprionus indianus (Diptera, Drosophilidae) in Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil

2005 ◽  
Vol 95 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norma Machado da Silva ◽  
Carina da Conceição Fantinel ◽  
Vera Lucia da Silva Valente ◽  
Vitor Hugo Valiati
Keyword(s):  
Niche Breadth ◽  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Trophic Niche ◽  
Survival Strategies ◽  
Porto Alegre ◽  
Zaprionus Indianus ◽  
Feeding Sites ◽  
Substrate Choice ◽  
Oviposition Substrate ◽  
Feeding Substrate

Ecological parameters such as trophic niche overlap and niche breadth were computed from the frequency of all drosophilid species collected in 2001 and 2002, in the urban area of Porto Alegre city, Brazil. Independently of place, drosophilids community composition and components breeding or feeding sites, the highest frequencies of Zaprionus indianus (Gupta, 1970) were obtained during seasons with higher average temperatures, especially during summer. From a total of the 19,146 individuals of Z. indianus sampled, 80% were found in this season. The data of trophic niche breadth suggest a higher opportunism of adult flies in feeding substrate use, but the females are still selective in oviposition substrate choice. For the values of niche overlap, only for some species, did we find any correlation between these and species richness and/or number of resources, and the most of the correlation values considering breeding and feeding sites were positive. The colonization of Z. indianus in Porto Alegre could be leading to adjustments in the survival strategies of the resident species, but it is possible that many species have conditions for coexisting with the invader.

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