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Can specialists generalize? : diets of Texas horned lizards (Phrynosoma cornutum) in small Texas towns
Alenius, Rachel Nicole,author.
Alenius, Rachel Nicole,author.
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2018
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Texas horned lizards (Phrynosoma cornutum) are highly adapted ant specialists that selectively predate large-bodied ant species such as harvester ants (Pogonomrymex spp.). Extreme dietary specialization is believed to make horned lizards highly vulnerable to habitat disturbance, but it is unclear to what extent horned lizards can or cannot modify their diets. We studied relationships between horned lizard diets and prey availability in two towns in Karnes County to determine if horned lizards are obligate harvester ant specialists. We found that Texas horned lizards in these towns have diverse diets, with low quantities of harvester ants (8%). Spatio-temporal dietary variation suggests that these lizards use generalized foraging strategies to optimize intake of nutrient-rich prey. These results suggest that the relative importance of harvester ants in the diets of Texas horned lizard is context-dependent.
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1 online resource (viii, 69 pages) :
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Biology