Species comparison of frogs food habits during mating seasons in Uenohara,Yamanashi Pref.,Japan

Food habits of seven frog species during mating periods were examined from gastric contents and species comparison were conducted. From 1041 frogs, elementary information on their food habits such as species and sizes of prey insects were reported and species difference and sex difference were discussed. Males of Tago's brown frogs (Rana tagoi ) and Shlegel's green tree frogs (Rhacophorus schlegelii ) foraged nothing during mating periods as previous reports, but males of the other five species did. Males of Japanese tree frogs( Hyla japonica) and Japanese stream frogs( Buergeria buergeri) were getting to forage towards the end of their mating periods. Especially, male black spotted pond frogs( Rana nigromaculata ) seemed to prefer larger insect than expected from their environment food resources, foraged well and gained their body weight during mating periods. These species differences seem to be caused mainly from their length of mating periods and their extent of site fidelity in mating periods.12KJ00008087840原著論文departmental bulletin pape