Effects of Head Shape Variation on Diet Selection in Larvae of the Salamander Hynobius retardatus

Abstract

Using stomach content analysis, I assessed effects of head morphology of larval salamanders (Hynobius retardatus) on the selectivity of diets in nature. Large-headed morphs of the larvae chiefly ate terrestrial invertebrates, whereas the most abundant prey item of small-headed morphs was Diptera larvae. This suggests that larvae of H. retardatus change their prey in association with the head shape. I thus consider that the flexible development of a larger head induced by larval density of this species would change their diet selection.