ORBi: Denoël Mathieu - Feeding performance in heterochronic alpine newts is consistent with trophic niche and maintenance of polymorphism

Reference : Feeding performance in heterochronic alpine newts is consistent with trophic niche and m...


	Document type :	Scientific journals : Article
	Discipline(s) :	Social & behavioral sciences, psychology : Neurosciences & behavior Social & behavioral sciences, psychology : Animal psychology, ethology & psychobiology Life sciences : Zoology Life sciences : Environmental sciences & ecology Life sciences : Aquatic sciences & oceanology
	To cite this reference:	http://hdl.handle.net/2268/3043

Title :	Feeding performance in heterochronic alpine newts is consistent with trophic niche and maintenance of polymorphism
Language :	English
Author, co-author :	Denoël, Mathieu [Université de Liège - ULg > Département des sciences et gestion de l'environnement > Biologie du comportement - Ethologie et psychologie animale >]
Publication date :	2004
Journal title :	Ethology
Publisher :	Blackwell Verlag Gmbh
Volume :	110
Issue/season :	2
Pages :	127-136
Audience :	International
ISSN :	0179-1613
City :	Berlin
Country :	Germany
Keywords :	[en] Feeding habit ; Diet ; Prey selection ; Capture ; Predation ; Predatory performance ; Trophic polyphenism ; Resource partitioning ; Trophic specialization ; Size-selective predation ; Gape size ; Functional morphology ; Mouth opening ; Labial folds ; Mouth opening ; Plankton ; Fairy shrimp ; Metamorphosis ; Heterochrony ; Facultative paedomorphosis ; Polyphenism ; Polymorphism ; Lac de la cabane ; Alpine newt ; Mesotriton alpestris ; Triturus alpestris ; Ichthyosaura alpestris
	[fr] Triton alpestre ; Amphibien ; Succès prédateur
Abstract :	[en] The feeding performances of two heterochronic morphs of the Alpine newt Triturus alpestris were investigated in laboratory experiments. Although both morphs are able to feed in the aquatic habitat, the hydrodynamics of prey capture differ between morphs. In paedomorphs water sucked with prey is expelled behind the mouth through gill bars. In metamorphs, water is expelled by the mouth as gill slits are closed. Feeding performance was better in paedomorphs than in metamorphs when foraging on aquatic crustaceans, but paedomorphs were less successful when foraging on terrestrial invertebrates caught at the water surface. These differences in prey capture success related to prey type allow the two morphs to use specific resources in their aquatic habitat. These results are consistent with previous studies that showed diet differentiation between morphs in natural populations. Such resource partitioning is a factor favouring the maintenance of facultative paedomorphosis in natural populations.
Funders :	Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique (Communauté française de Belgique) - F.R.S.-FNRS
Target :	Researchers ; Students
Permalink :	http://hdl.handle.net/2268/3043
DOI :	10.1111/j.1439-0310.2003.00958.x
Mentions required by the publisher for OA :	The final paginated pdf is available on Blackwell website (onlinelibrary.wiley.co)

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