Feeding Habits of the Japanese Fire-belly Newt (Ampbihia: Urodela: Salamandridae) in Central Honshu, Japan

Abstract

The Japanese fire-belly newt, Cynops pyrrhogaster, is a near threatened species that is conservation dependent. Here, we examine feeding habits across the year within a genetically divergent intraspecific lineages of this species (the Central Lineage) to provide information to support future in-situ and ex-situ conservation activities. Stomach contents from newts were collected in a paddy field habitat, Kyoto City, central Honshu, Japan for two consecutive years. Throughout the year, dipteran aquatic larvae were the most important food source both for males and females, although terrestrial invertebrates were also important prey for the newts. During periods of low prey availability shed skin could also be a relatively valuable source of food. Sympatric frogs and newts appear to target different prey and this may facilitate their co-existence. Our study provides new information on suitable prey items for the Central Lineage of C. pyrrhogaster both in its natural habitat and in captivity.