Anura

STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS OF THE SPAWNING ANURAN TAXOCENOSES IN FLOODPLAIN LAKES OF THE MEDVEDITSA RIVER VALLEY (SARATOV REGION)

Authors: Yermokhin M. V., Tabachishin V. G., Ivanov G. A.

The structure of the spawning anuran taxocenoses in five floodplain lakes in the Medveditsa river valley in 2009 - 2016 was analyzed. Degradation of the populations of the three most numerous species and a decreased degree of dominance of the spadefoot toad were established. This degradation strongly affects the species with a longer distance of spawning migrations - the severity of the changes sequentially decreases in the row: Pelophylax ridibundus → Pelobates fuscus → Bombina bombina. The structural parameters in the lakes of Lebyazhye and Koblovo were stable.

A SIMPLE METHOD FOR FEEDING STUDIES IN LIVE ANURAN AMPHIBIANS

Authors: Kuzmin S. L.

A simple method of food sampling in live frogs is described. This method enables complete extraction of the stomach contents and leads to a very low mortality of frogs. That is why it is more reasonable than killing and preserving frogs for further study of their diet composition. Photographs of food extracting are provided, which can be used in field conditions.

ON THE NUTRITION OF SOME SEMI-AQUATIC AMPHIBIAN SPECIES (AMPHIBIA: ANURA) IN THE NORTHWESTERN UPPER OKA REGION

Authors: Alekseev S. K., Korzikov V. A., Ruchin A. B.

The nutrition of Bombina bombina and Pelophylax lessonae collected in three habitats of the northwestern Upper Oka region in 2006 - 2014 was studied. The feed composition of Pelophylax lessonae reduced to the autumn by the abundance and taxonomic diversity, epigeious beetles and ants to predominate. Bombina bombina mainly feeds on ants and arachnids in the autumn.