Diets of Hemisus mamoratus and Leptopelis hyloides (Order Anura) from monoculture plantations in southern Nigeria

Abstract

The stomachs of 73 anurans, consisting of 22 Hemisus marmoratus and 51 Leptopelis hyloides from two monoculture plantations (oil palm and rubber), respectively, in Okomu-Udo, Edo State, were examined for their dietary constituents. The diets of the two frog consisted mainly of insects belonging to the orders Coleoptera, Orthoptera, Hymenoptera, Isoptera and Diptera. Other items recovered, which may be incidental intakes were sand grains and plant materials. Hymenopterans and isopterans were the food items recorded in H. marmoratus with percentage frequencies of occurrence 1.55% and 98.45%, respectively. Food items recovered from L. hyloides were Hymenoptera (22.73%), Coleoptera (65.91%), Diptera (2.27%) and Orthoptera (9.09%) with coleopterans having the highest percentage frequency of 68.18%. Although there were differences in the feeding rates of H. marmoratus (31.82%) and L. hyloides (43.14%), the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The restricted diets of these frogs, which differed from those of their counterparts collected from natural forests, may have been influenced by the food items available in their respective monoculture habitats. While H. marmoratus may be classified a specialist feeder, L. hyloides is a generalist.

Keywords: anurans, H. marmoratus, L. hyloides, diet, monoculture plantations, southern Nigeria

The Zoologist, 10:48-52 (2012)