Does a polymorphic species have a ‘polymorphic’ diet? A case study from a lacertid lizard
| Autor: | Stefano Scali, Marco A. L. Zuffi, Marco Sannolo, Fabio Pupin, Roberto Sacchi, Maurizio Pavesi, Carlo Zucchi, Marco Mangiacotti, Augusto Gentilli |
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| Rok vydání: | 2015 |
| Předmět: |
0106 biological sciences
0301 basic medicine animal structures Spatial segregation genetic structures Ecology Zoology Biology biology.organism_classification 010603 evolutionary biology 01 natural sciences Predation Spatial heterogeneity body regions Podarcis muralis 03 medical and health sciences Lacertid lizard 030104 developmental biology Taxon Polymorphism (computer science) colour polymorphism – feeding habits – Podarcis muralis – trophic niche Trophic niche psychological phenomena and processes reproductive and urinary physiology Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics |
| Zdroj: | Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 117:492-502 |
| ISSN: | 0024-4066 |
| Popis: | Lizards are ideal for studying colour polymorphism, because some species are polymorphic and the morphs often have different ecological or reproductive strategies. We studied the feeding habits of six polymorphic populations of Podarcis muralis to test whether morphs differed in their diet. Some taxa were selected in a similar way by all morphs, but selection on other taxa varied and was characteristic of each morph. Diet was most different for the red and yellow morphs. Two hypotheses could explain these differences: active segregation in the trophic niche or active segregation in space dependent on spatial heterogeneity in prey availability. The former is improbable because P. muralis is considered an opportunistic feeder, whereas the latter could occur if the morphs adopted alternative territorial strategies with consequent spatial segregation. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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