Field observation of foraging behavior by a group of adult diving beetles Agabus (Gaurodytes) bipustulatus preying on an adult Lissotriton boscai |
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| Authors: | Gonçalo M. ROSA Telma LAURENTINO Madalena MADEIRA |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK;2. Centro de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa;3. Av. de Madrid, Lisboa, Portugal |
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| Abstract: | Adult dytiscids prey on a variety of items including other invertebrates but also larger prey such as frogs and fish. Observations of anuran larvae predation are common. However, there have been no reports concerning predation on caudata post‐metamorphosis by dytiscids. Here we describe a predation event by a group of adult diving beetles of the species Agabus (Gaurodytes) bipustulatus (Linnaeus, 1767) on an adult Lissotriton boscai (Lataste in Tourneville, 1879). This report represents the first observation of foraging behavior of adult diving beetles preying on and consuming a living post‐metamorphic newt. |
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| Keywords: | aquatic invertebrates Bosca's newt Dytiscidae predation Serra da Estrela Urodela |
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