Feeding ecology of six sympatric hylids (anura, hylidae) in a seasonally floodable environment in the brazilian Amazon

Abstract

The knowledge of diet is essential to understanding species biology and thus fostering conservation strategies. This study described and compared the diet of six species of anurans in the family Hylidae (Boana punctata, B. raniceps, Dendropsophus leucophyllatus, D. walfordi, Lysapsus bolivianus, and Sphaenorhyncus lacteus), from a floodplain environment in the Brazilian Amazon. Research was conducted in the Lake Maicá complex, in Santarém municipality, Pará state, between April and August 2023. The diet of the six species was composed mainly of arthropods, with the order Diptera being the most common prey category, except in B. raniceps (Orthoptera) and S. lacteus (Formicidae). We observed a weak correlation between individual body size and the volume of prey consumed. Overall, niche overlap between species was high, with most having a broad trophic niche and generalist diets. The exception was S. lacteus, which had a diet which specialized on ants. Additionally, these findings emphasize the ecological role of hylid frogs in regulating some arthropods populations, reinforcing their significance in maintaining trophic dynamics in floodplain ecosystems.