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Article
Dietary Comparison of Eurycea cirrigera (Southern Two-lined Salamander) Larvae from Pond and Stream Habitats in Southern West Virginia
Faculty Publications and Presentations
  • Timothy R. Brophy, Liberty University
  • Thomas K. Pauley
Publication Date
1-1-1997
Comments
Published in the Proceedings of the West Virginia Academy of Science 69(2):4-10.
Abstract

We give the first dietary report for a lentic population of two-lined salamander larvae (Eurycea bislineata complex) and the first dietary comparison of lentic and lotic populations simultaneously. Diets of Eurycea cirrigera (Southern Two-lined salamander) larvae were investigated from pond and stream habitats in southern West Virginia during 1994 and 1995. Pond larvae consumed nine prey taxa dominated by chironomid larvae and ostracods, with copepods contributing significantly on most sampling dates. Stream larvae consumed 15 prey taxa dominated by copepods, isopods, and chironomid larvae. Seasonal shifts in diet were apparent at both sites. Comparisons between sites (D = % dietary overlap and rs = Spearman rank correlation coefficient) indicate that larval diets are different at each site (D = 8.1-41.8; rs =-0.4091 to 0.5606, p = 0.l0-0.96). This is most likely due to differences in prey availability at each site. These results emphasize the generalist nature of Two-lined salamander larvae.

Citation Information
Timothy R. Brophy and Thomas K. Pauley. "Dietary Comparison of Eurycea cirrigera (Southern Two-lined Salamander) Larvae from Pond and Stream Habitats in Southern West Virginia" (1997)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/timothy_brophy/10/