Feeding ecology of Elachistocleis bicolor (Anura, Microhylidae) in a riparian locality of Middle Paraná river. (ISI: 0,661)

LÓPEZ, JAVIER ALEJANDRO; GHIRARDI, ROMINA; SCARABOTTI, PABLO AUGUSTO; MEDRANO, MARÍA CELESTE

HERPETOLOGICAL JOURNAL

British Herpetological Society

Lugar: London; Año: 2007 vol. 17 p. 48 - 53

0268-0130

Elachistocleis bicolor is a poorly known South American microhylid frog. Although it has been defined like an ant specialist, no study details ontogenetic diet change and prey selectivity on this species. We analysed the diet of 114 individuals of this frogs through the post-metamorphic ontogeny. We also studied anurans morphometry relationships to prey size, and compared frogs? diet with prey availability, estimating predation tactics. All prey categories were consumed out of proportion relative to environmental availability. Results suggest that the three stages of E. bicolor are selective foragers with a strong preference for ants, although the prey spectrum includes other taxa. Subadults? diet was more similar to juveniles? one and had the widest diet overlap. Juveniles ate smaller preys and this could be reducing food competition with older stages. Although the three stages are selective ant foragers, as frogs grow up, there is a partial and gradual change in prey category captured.