Influence of Wing Loading on the Selection of Prey Size in the Indian False Vampire Bat Megaderma Lyra

ABSTRACTZygonix iris is widespread in tropical Asia, and larvae are sprawlers/clingers on rock surfaces in fast-flowing streams and rivers. In the Lam Tsuen River, Hong Kong, this species is univoltine; emergence occurs prior to the summer monsoon and larval recruitment during the wet season. Studies on larval dietary composition in four habitats indicated that Z. iris is a generalist predator, consuming epibenthic prey taxa in proportion to their abundance in the environment. Larval Chironomidae (Diptera) and Baetis (Ephemeroptera) were the commonest food items at all sites and there was little consistent evidence of preference for individual taxa. Larger Z. iris larvae tended to consume more prey taxa than did smaller larvae, and Baetis prey size was positively correlated with predator size. No size selection of chironomid larvae was apparent. Despite its unusual larval habit, Z. iris is a generalist feeder resembling lotic and lentic temperate-zone Odonata.

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CHANGES IN PREY SIZE PREFERENCES DURING SUCCESSIVE STAGES OF FORAGING IN THE MEDITERRANEAN WATER SHREW NEOMYS ANOMALUS

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/156853999501360 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 136 (3) ◽

pp. 345-365 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Leszek Rychlik

Keyword(s):

Predation Risk ◽

Prey Size ◽

Large Prey ◽

Habitat Conditions ◽

Food Hoarding ◽

Food Quantity ◽

Competition For Food ◽

Mediterranean Water ◽

Selection Of ◽

Food Portions

AbstractPrey size preferences in successive stages of foraging of Mediterranean water shrews Neomys anomalus Cabrera, 1907 were investigated in a terrarium. Seven shrews were tested individually in five experimental variants (simulating different habitat conditions) totally for 504 hours. Water shrews displayed partial preferences for prey size but they were selective from the very beginning of the foraging period. When searching for food, N. anomalus preferred big food portions, abandoning significantly more small than big portions. This tendency was especially strong when few food portions were available on land and there were no natural structures in the terrarium. Selection of big portions was intensified probably by their easier detection. Shrews hoarded proportionally more big than small portions in the scattered hiding-places. This tendency was intensified by the presence of natural structures, dispersion of food and reduction of food quantity placed on land. Later, however, more small than big food portions were eaten, apparently because small portions were easier to manipulate. Scattered food hoarding and preference of large prey are proposed to be the strategy of N. anomalus to maximise the energy net gain and minimise the predation risk and competition for food.

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Prey size selection of the Eurasian Otter,Lutra lutra(Linnaeus, 1758), at the Jajrood River, Iran

Zoology in the Middle East ◽

10.1080/09397140.2010.10638407 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 50 (1) ◽

pp. 19-26 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Roohallah Mirzaei ◽

Mahmud Krami ◽

Afshin Danehkar ◽

Asghar Abdoli ◽

Jim Conroy

Keyword(s):

Prey Size ◽

Lutra Lutra ◽

Size Selection ◽

Eurasian Otter ◽

Selection Of

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Inventory of mammals in protected reserves and natural habitats of Tripura, northeast India with notes on existing threats and new records of Large Footed Mouse-eared Bat and Greater False Vampire Bat

Check List ◽

10.15560/11.2.1611 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 1611 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Joydeb Majumder ◽

Koushik Majumdar ◽

Partha Pratim Bhattacharjee ◽

Basant Kumar Agarwala

Keyword(s):

New Records ◽

Northeast India ◽

Iucn Red List ◽

Red List ◽

Diverse Group ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Wildlife Protection ◽

Primary Forests ◽

Vampire Bat ◽

Megaderma Lyra

Twenty-four species representing 21 genera, 16 families and 7 orders of mammals were recorded in the Tripura state, northeast India, from an inventory done from 2006 to 2012. Ten of these species were found in wildlife sanctuaries as well as in primary forests. Four species were recorded exclusively from the wildlife sanctuaries and ten species were recorded only from primary forests. Order Primates was the most diverse group represented by 6 species from 4 genera in 3 families. Frequency sightings data showed that 11 species were rare, 2 species were occasional, one species was frequent, and another 10 species were common. Two species, Large-footed Mouse-eared Bat, Myotis sp., and Greater False Vampire Bat, Megaderma lyra, are new records from the study area. Overall, 23 of the 24 species recorded are listed in the IUCN Red List, 14 species are listed in CITES, and 14 species are protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Threats being faced by many of the recorded mammals from human encroachments are highlighted.

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