Intraspecific variation in diet within and between trophic morphs in larval tiger salamanders ( Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum).

James Collins, J. R. Holomuzki

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

55 Scopus citations

Abstract

The 'broad-headed' larval morph is cannibalistic and has a wider head and enlarged vomerine teeth compared with typical larvae. Broad-headed morphs occurred in both sexes and most of their diet was other salamanders. A variety of invertebrates comprised the remainder of their diet. Typical morphs ate primarily macroinvertebrates and plankton, and rarely (1 of 170 larvae analyzed) conspecifics. Young typical larvae consumed a narrow range of prey, mostly plankton, compared with older larvae, which consumed a diversity of macroinvertebrates in addition to plankton. 'Cannibalistic' versus 'typical' refers to a predilection and is not an absolute categorization. -from Authors

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)168-174
Number of pages7
JournalCanadian Journal of Zoology
Volume62
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1984

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
  • Animal Science and Zoology

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