Ecologia trófica de Leptodactylus troglodytes LUTZ, 1926 em área de transição rural-urbana do município de Pedro II-PI

Abstract

Knowing the trophic ecology of species is essential to understand the dynamics of populations in the environment and their relationships with other species. Leptodactylus troglodytes, despite being considered a common and abundant species in the places where it occurs, there are still gaps in information about its food ecology. Within this context, the present study aimed to investigate the trophic ecology of L. troglodytes in rural-urban transition areas in the municipality of Pedro II - Piauí, Northeast Brazil, describing the composition of the diet and its relationship with the predator's body size. The specimens were collected in the municipality of Pedro II, located in the north-northeast region of the state of Piauí, about 210 km from the capital Teresina. Individuals of L. troglodytes were collected during the months of November and December 2020, using two methodologies: active search and passive collection by trapping and falling traps (pitfall). The collected specimens were taken to the laboratory, where they went through the stomach washing procedure and were later released close to the collection sites the next day. Twenty eight individuals of L. troglodytes were found, of which 14 had stomach contents, with 46 food items recorded in 11 categories of prey consumed, with a diet consisting mainly of Hymenoptera, Araneae and Scolopendrida. According to the diversity of food items, the L. troglodytes diet is characterized as generalist and opportunistic with preferences for items with larger volumes.