Food niche overlap between two sympatric leaf-litter frog species from Central Amazonia

Abstract

We studied the feeding habits and similarities in the diet of two sympatric and syntopic Amazonian frog species, Anomaloglossus stepheni (Aromobatidae) and Leptodactylus andreae (Leptodactylidae) in a forested area in Central Amazonia. The breadth of the trophic niche of these species was 5.89 and 3.75, respectively, and approximately 85% of their diets were similar. Ants were main food item in the diets of both frog species. The coexistence between these frog species may be facilitated by the significant differences in the size of their mouths. This difference allows them to consume preys items of different sizes.

Keywords

• Anura
• Anomaloglossus stepheni
• Leptodactylus andreae
• trophic niche
• feeding habits
• life in sympatry