Eat and be eaten: Trophic interactions of the introduced frog Scinax quinquefasciatus in anthropogenic environments in Galápagos

Abstract:

While the Galápagos Archipelago is known for its endemic flora and fauna, many introduced species have also become naturalised there, especially on the human-inhabited islands. The only amphibian species known to have established on the islands, the Fowler’s snouted treefrog (Scinax quinquefasciatus), is thought to have arrived about two decades ago. Since then, this treefrog has substantially extended its range to the islands of Santa Cruz and Isabela. Our study explores the potential influence of this introduced amphibian on native trophic systems on Santa Cruz and identifies potential antagonists likely to control larval frog populations. To understand the impact of S. quinquefasciatus as a predator of local invertebrate fauna, we performed a stomach-content analysis of 228 preserved adult specimens from seven different localities on Santa Cruz. Of the 11 macroinvertebrate orders recorded, Lepidoptera constituted more than 60% of the contents. We also identified active predators of S. quinquefasciatus tadpoles: larvae of the endemic diving

Año de publicación:

2020

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Fuente:

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