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Full-Text Articles in Animal Sciences

The Common Wall Lizard Podarcis Muralis (Reptilia: Lacertidae) Shows Diverse Food Preferences And Intraspecific Difference: A Study Case From Bulgaria, Emiliya Vacheva, Borislav Naumov May 2024

The Common Wall Lizard Podarcis Muralis (Reptilia: Lacertidae) Shows Diverse Food Preferences And Intraspecific Difference: A Study Case From Bulgaria, Emiliya Vacheva, Borislav Naumov

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The Common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) has the largest range among the genus Podarcis. Although there are a number of studies on its diet, data on regional level remains insufficient, particularly from a purely ecological perspective. We investigated 194 individual faecal samples of P. muralis obtained from two localities in western Bulgaria with the aim of clarifying the composition of the trophic spectrum of the species, as well as the intra-population characteristics in terms of age and sex. In one study site we compared the realized trophic niche (prey items from the faecal pellets) with the fundamental (invertebrates collected via …


Trophic Analysis And Parasitological Aspects Of Liolaemus Parvus (Iguania: Liolaemidae) In The Central Andes Of Argentina, Gabriel Natalio Castillo, Juan Carlos Acosta, Graciela Mirta Blanco Jan 2019

Trophic Analysis And Parasitological Aspects Of Liolaemus Parvus (Iguania: Liolaemidae) In The Central Andes Of Argentina, Gabriel Natalio Castillo, Juan Carlos Acosta, Graciela Mirta Blanco

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The objective of this study was to describe temporal variations in the diet and parasitological aspects in Liolaemus parvus. In order to examine the diet, we determined the volume, numerousness, and frequency of occurrence for each prey item and calculated the relative importance index. We removed nematodes from the stomach and estimated parasitic indicators. Liolaemus parvus presents an active searching mode. It is a predominantly insectivorous species with low intake of plant material and a specialist in feeding on prey items of the family Formicidae, although it also feeds on other arthropods like coleopterans, hemipterans, and spiders. We found temporal …


Population And Ecological Characteristics Of The Dice Snake, Natrix Tessellata(Laurenti, 1768), In Lower Portions Of The Vrbanja River(Republic Of Srpska, Bosnia And Herzegovina), Goran Sukalo, Sonja Nikolic, Dejan Dmitrovic, Ljiljana Tomovic Jan 2019

Population And Ecological Characteristics Of The Dice Snake, Natrix Tessellata(Laurenti, 1768), In Lower Portions Of The Vrbanja River(Republic Of Srpska, Bosnia And Herzegovina), Goran Sukalo, Sonja Nikolic, Dejan Dmitrovic, Ljiljana Tomovic

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Despite their comparative richness and accessibility in the Republic of Srpska and in Bosnia and Herzegovina in general, population studies of reptiles have not been performed in Srpska until recently. For example, one of the most common snake species in this area is the dice snake; nevertheless, previous studies have only reported its distribution. The aim of the present study was to analyze characteristics of the dice snake population along the Vrbanja River. Animals were processed during 2011 throughout their activity period. In total, 199 individuals of all ages were collected. We observed substantial differences in numbers of animals captured …


Morphology, Sex Ratio, And Diet Of Bothus Podas (Delaroche, 1809) In Heraklion Bay, Crete (Greece), Dimitris Moutopoulos, Maria Chouli, Aikaterini Dogrammatzi, Kostantia-Nadia Papadopoulou, Chris J. Smith, Paraskevi Karachle Jan 2018

Morphology, Sex Ratio, And Diet Of Bothus Podas (Delaroche, 1809) In Heraklion Bay, Crete (Greece), Dimitris Moutopoulos, Maria Chouli, Aikaterini Dogrammatzi, Kostantia-Nadia Papadopoulou, Chris J. Smith, Paraskevi Karachle

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The aim of the present study is to provide morphometric relationships for the Mediterranean wide-eyed flounder Bothus podas (Delaroche, 1809), to identify possible sexual dimorphism, and to determine the feeding habits and the functional role of the species in the ecosystem. Sampling was carried out during a trawl survey off the coast of northern Crete in early May of 2015. A total of 425 specimens were examined (175 males and 250 females; total length (TL) range: 6.2-13.5 cm and 6.0-15.1 cm, respectively). The relationships between TL and weight, interorbital space (IO), body height (BH), and mouth dimensions (horizontal mouth opening: …


Comparative Diet Of Hedgehogs (Atelerix Algirus) In Two Localities In Kabylia, Algeria, Dalila Djennoune, Faiza Marniche, Mansour Amroun, Raphaël Boulay Jan 2018

Comparative Diet Of Hedgehogs (Atelerix Algirus) In Two Localities In Kabylia, Algeria, Dalila Djennoune, Faiza Marniche, Mansour Amroun, Raphaël Boulay

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The present study is the first qualitative and quantitative analysis of the diet of Algerian hedgehogs (Atelerix algirus) in Kabylia, Algeria. The study was carried out between May and October 2014 and covered two different sites, Yakouren (a forested site) and Tizi-Rached (an agricultural site). In Yakouren, the analysis of droppings allowed us to identify 12,050 items grouped into 16 categories of eaten preys, while in Tizi-Rached, 13,543 items grouped into 13 categories of preys were identified. In both locations, the Hymenoptera category is the most eaten type of prey at a rate of 93% in Yakouren and 98% in …


Breeding Long-Legged Buzzard Buteo Rufinus In Forests Of Southwestern Iran: Feeding Habits And Reproductive Performance, Arya Shafaeipour Jan 2015

Breeding Long-Legged Buzzard Buteo Rufinus In Forests Of Southwestern Iran: Feeding Habits And Reproductive Performance, Arya Shafaeipour

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The breeding biology, behavior, and diet of Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus were studied during 2 breeding seasons in forests in southwestern Iran (n = 3 nests) from April to June in 2012 and 2013. All nests faced west to east on the upper edges of cliffs. Eggs were laid during 7-11 March. The clutch size was 3 eggs and incubation period was 31 ± 1 days. Brood reduction was observed in one of the nests (in the first year), and mortality of the smallest chicks occurred during the second week after hatching. The young fledged successfully at 49.5 ± 0.5 …


Nest-Site Selection, Breeding Success, And Diet Of White-Tailed Eagles(Haliaeetus Albicilla) In The Danube Delta, Romania, Attila D. Sandor, Vasile Alexe, Mihai Marinov, Alexandru Doroşencu, Cristian Domsa, Botond J. Kiss Jan 2015

Nest-Site Selection, Breeding Success, And Diet Of White-Tailed Eagles(Haliaeetus Albicilla) In The Danube Delta, Romania, Attila D. Sandor, Vasile Alexe, Mihai Marinov, Alexandru Doroşencu, Cristian Domsa, Botond J. Kiss

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The white-tailed eagle is a flagship species of wetland conservation throughout Europe; thus, general conservation efforts targeting this species can provide effective protection for most species occupying similar habitats. The species' breeding ecology is well known in northern and western Europe; however, the locally important Danube Delta population has scarcely been studied. Here, the eagles primarily select tall trees for nesting (mostly willow and white poplar), with most nests built above 15 m. The breeding population is geographically concentrated in the northern and northwestern parts of the delta, most probably because of available nest sites in less-disturbed areas. The population …


Diet And Habitat Use Of The Endangered Persian Leopard (Panthera Pardus Saxicolor) In Northeastern Iran, Mohammad Taghdisi, Alireza Mohammadi, Elham Nourani, Shirko Shokri, Ali Rezaei, Mohammad Kaboli Jan 2013

Diet And Habitat Use Of The Endangered Persian Leopard (Panthera Pardus Saxicolor) In Northeastern Iran, Mohammad Taghdisi, Alireza Mohammadi, Elham Nourani, Shirko Shokri, Ali Rezaei, Mohammad Kaboli

Turkish Journal of Zoology

A 2-year study of the food habits of the Persian leopard was conducted in Sarigol National Park in northeastern Iran, North Khorasan Province. Based on an analysis of 52 leopard scats, the principal prey was wild sheep (Ovis orientalis: prey frequency of occurrence = 61.5%; prey relative frequency of occurrence = 47.05%; relative biomass = 53.96%), followed by wild pig (Sus scrofa: frequency = 23.07%; relative frequency = 17.64%; relative biomass = 25.38%) and wild goat (Capra aegagrus: frequency = 13.46%; relative frequency = 10.29%; relative biomass = 6.64%). The high proportion of medium- and large-size prey in leopard diet …


Cooccurrence And Food Niche Overlap Of Two Common Predators (Red Fox Vulpes Vulpes And Common Buzzard Buteo Buteo) In An Agricultural Landscape, Lukasz Jankowiak, Piotr Tryjanowski Jan 2013

Cooccurrence And Food Niche Overlap Of Two Common Predators (Red Fox Vulpes Vulpes And Common Buzzard Buteo Buteo) In An Agricultural Landscape, Lukasz Jankowiak, Piotr Tryjanowski

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The mechanism of coexistence and interspecific relationships between 2 predatory species has been an important topic in ecology for many years. To date, researchers have focused mostly on very similar species, such as 2 mammals or 2 birds of prey, occupying the same habitat. However, the situation where a predatory mammal may live sympatrically with a common bird of prey is probably more common. A good example is the coexistence of the red fox and the common buzzard. The relationship between these species with respect to spatial distribution, the abundance of a potentially important prey species (common vole), diet, trophic …


Food Habits Of The Hoary Bat In An Agricultural Landscape, Mathew K. Perlik, Brock R. Mcmillan, John D. Krenz Jan 2012

Food Habits Of The Hoary Bat In An Agricultural Landscape, Mathew K. Perlik, Brock R. Mcmillan, John D. Krenz

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Information on diets is fundamental to ecological studies. Prey use by the solitary, tree-roosting hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) in agricultural landscapes is not known. We examined the stomach contents and fecal material from carcasses of hoary bats collected during a mortality study at wind turbine sites in southwestern Minnesota. We compared diet of hoary bats to availability of prey to determine whether bats were opportunistic or selective. Food of the hoary bats primarily consisted of lepidopterans (moths; 49-50 %) and coleopterans (beetles; 28-40 %). The abundance of insects in the diet of hoary bats was not proportional to the estimated …


Diet Composition Of Myotis Myotis (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) In Western Poland: Results Of Fecal Analyses, Agnieszka Graclik, Oskar Wasielewski Jan 2012

Diet Composition Of Myotis Myotis (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) In Western Poland: Results Of Fecal Analyses, Agnieszka Graclik, Oskar Wasielewski

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The diet of greater mouse-eared bats (Myotis myotis) was investigated by analysis of 900 droppings taken from 8 different bat colonies in western Poland. Three taxonomic orders (Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, and Diptera) and representatives of 2 other groups of arthropods (Chilopoda: Lithobiidae and Arachnida: Araneae) were identified in the droppings. Coleoptera was the most abundant prey found in fecal samples in all seasons. Study sites differed significantly in the composition of prey, which probably reflects the local foraging conditions for M. myotis.


Food Preference Of The Short-Eared Owl (Asio Flammeus) And Barn Owl (Tyto Alba) At Usta Muhammad, Baluchistan, Pakistan, Muhammad Mushtaq-Ul-Hassan, Rafia Rehana Ghazi, Noor Un Nisa Jan 2007

Food Preference Of The Short-Eared Owl (Asio Flammeus) And Barn Owl (Tyto Alba) At Usta Muhammad, Baluchistan, Pakistan, Muhammad Mushtaq-Ul-Hassan, Rafia Rehana Ghazi, Noor Un Nisa

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The dominant food-items eaten by the short-eared owl were rats and mice (91.9%). Shrews (2.0%), bats (1.3%), and birds (5.0%) jointly constituted only 8.2% of the owl's diet. Among rats and mice, the most intensively consumed rodent pest by the owl was Millardia meltada (43.9%), followed by Mus musculus (29.8%), Tatera indica (16.3%), and Bandicota bengalensis (1.8%). In the case of the barn owl, rats and mice represented 9.7% of their diet, followed by shrews (4.7%), birds (3.3%), and bats (0.4%). Among the rats and mice in their diet were M. meltada (46.3%), T. indica (3.5%), Nesokia indica (5.1%), B. …


Population Dynamics Of Soft-Furred Field Rat, Millardia Meltada, In Rice And Wheat Fields In Central Punjab, Pakistan, Shaher Bano Lathiya, Abdul Rauf Khokhar, Syed Muzaffar Ahmed Jan 2003

Population Dynamics Of Soft-Furred Field Rat, Millardia Meltada, In Rice And Wheat Fields In Central Punjab, Pakistan, Shaher Bano Lathiya, Abdul Rauf Khokhar, Syed Muzaffar Ahmed

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Data on the abundance, reproduction, diet and damage index of the soft-furred field rat Millardia meltada were collected during the rice and wheat seasons. The abundance of Millardia meltada remained high at the post-harvest stage of the rice and wheat crops. The ploughing of fields did not affect the abundance of Millardia. The mean annual prevalence of pregnancy was 50% and the mean embryonic litter size 6.2 ± 0.4. Millardia continued to eat wheat and rice grains over a long period even when there was no crop standing in the fields. The damage indices in rice and wheat crops were …