The diet of Ambystoma tigrinum larvae from western Colorado
Abstract
A. tigrinum larvae from two ponds in the Elk Mountains of western Colorado were found to eat a wide variety of foods, including a total of 42 classes, mostly of various littoral, benthic, and planktonic arthropods. Most common animals (between 0.5 and 20 mm in length) in these ponds were eaten in proportion to their abundance. Chaoborus pupae and large zooplankton were sought out. Adult beetles, notonectids, caddis fly larvae, Diaptomus coloradensis, and sponges were rarely or never eaten. Large food items were preferred during most of the larval stage. Cannibalism was very insignificant in these two populations. Zooplankton was found to be a large component of the diet. The smallest larvae (less than 2 cm long) ate little besides zooplankton. Larger larvae continued to eat zooplankters, as well as large numbers of amphipods, mollusks, and insect larvae. Larvae about to transform did not eat. Salamander larvae placed in a pond with fairy shrimp and voraciously.
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