Trophic specialisations in alternative heterochronic morphs

Feeding specialisation; Diet; Alpine lake; Paedomorphosis; Greece; France; Alpine newt; Amphibian; Triturus; Heterochrony; Triturus alpestris; Ichthyosaura alpestris; Resource partitioning; Pindos; Drakolimni; Foraging; Plankton; Feeding; Mesotriton alpestris; Triton alpestre; Amphibien; Lac de la Cabane; Smolikas; Timphi; Ichthyosaura alpestris veluchiensis; Balkans; Alps; Tymphi; Mountain lake

Abstract :

[en] Polymorphisms are suspected of reducing competition among conspecifics in heterogeneous environments by allowing differential resource use. However the adaptive significance of alternative morphs has been poorly documented. The aim of this study is to determine food partitioning of two heterochronic morphs of the Alpine newt, Triturus alpestris, in mountain lakes. The morphs differ in the functional morphology of their feeding apparatus. Only paedomorphs are able to expel water during prey suction behind the mouth through gill slits. We observed a substantial trophic differentiation between morphs in all lakes. Paedomorphs preyed mainly on plankton, whereas metamorphs foraged on terrestrial invertebrates that fell upon the water surface. This resource partitioning may facilitate the coexistence of the alternative morphs in lakes devoid of vertebrate competitors. Food diversity may thus favour the evolutionary maintenance of facultative polymorphism in natural populations.

Disciplines :

Zoology
Aquatic sciences & oceanology
Environmental sciences & ecology

Author, co-author :

Denoël, Mathieu ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution > Biologie du comportement - Ethologie et psychologie animale

Schabetsberger, Robert; University of Salzburg, Austria

Joly, Pierre; Université Claude Bernard - Lyon 1 - UCLB - France

Language :

English

Title :

Trophic specialisations in alternative heterochronic morphs

Publication date :

2004

Journal title :

Naturwissenschaften (Die)

ISSN :

0028-1042

eISSN :

1432-1904

Publisher :

Springer-Verlag, New York, United States - New York

Volume :

Issue :

Pages :

81-84

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Funders :

FRIA - Fonds pour la Formation à la Recherche dans l'Industrie et dans l'Agriculture [BE]
F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique [BE]

Available on ORBi :

since 26 December 2008

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