What does a Pacman eat? Macrophagy and necrophagy in a generalist predator (Ceratophrys stolzmanni)

Székely, Diana; Gaona, F. P.; Székely, P.; Cogălniceanu, D.

doi:10.7717/peerj.6406

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What does a Pacman eat? Macrophagy and necrophagy in a generalist predator (Ceratophrys stolzmanni)

Székely, Diana; Gaona, F. P.; Székely, P. et al.

2019 • In PeerJ, 2019 (2), p. 6406

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10.7717/peerj.6406

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Keywords :

Amphibian; Dry forest; Feeding ecology; Food-chain; Predator; Amphibia; Hymenoptera

Abstract :

[en] We describe for the first time the feeding ecology of the Pacific horned frog (Ceratophrys stolzmanni), as inferred through gastrointestinal tract content analysis and behavioural observations in its natural habitat. Ingested prey in adults ranged from mites and various insects to frogs and snakes. Prey items predominantly consisted of gastropods, non-formicid hymenopterans, and centipedes. We found no relationship between the size of the predator and the prey ingested, in terms of prey size, volume or number of items ingested. Additional direct observations indicate that all post-metamorphic stages are voracious, preying on vertebrates and engaging in anurophagy, cannibalism, and even necrophagy. Our study sheds light on the feeding habits of one of the least known species of horned frog. © 2019 Sz kely et al.

Disciplines :

Environmental sciences & ecology

Author, co-author :

Székely, Diana ; Université de Liège - ULiège

Gaona, F. P.; Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, EcoSs Lab., Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja, Ecuador

Székely, P.; Association Chelonia Romania, Bucharest, Romania, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, EcoSs Lab., Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja, Ecuador

Cogălniceanu, D.; Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Ovidius University Constanța, Constanța, Romania, Association Chelonia Romania, Bucharest, Romania

Language :

English

Title :

What does a Pacman eat? Macrophagy and necrophagy in a generalist predator (Ceratophrys stolzmanni)

Publication date :

2019

Journal title :

PeerJ

eISSN :

2167-8359

Publisher :

PeerJ, United States - California

Volume :

2019

Issue :

Pages :

e6406

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 28 July 2021

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