The Feeding Strategy of Rana pleuraden   from Kunming, China

Until now, the correlation between the food found in a frog's stomach and the richness of food resources in their habitats were not fully considered when food selection of amphibians was studied in China. The diet of 494 specimens of Rana pleuraden were collected from Bailongsi and Xijiekou, Kunming, and the composition of the food resource in their habitats were investigated. The results showed that the food consumption of the frog and the food resource composition in the habitats were steady. The main groups of food resources were Orthoptera, Homoptera, Hemiptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera and Arachnida. However, the proportion of each group varied among specimens from different localities, years and months of the year. Rana pleuraden also showed selectivity towards its food and/or prey, supported by the results of scientific analyses, such as the discrepancy significance analysis, the correlation analysis and the selectivity analysis between food consumption and food resources. There was no correlation between food resource found in the habitats and the food in the frog's stomach (Bailongsi: r=0.077, P=0.575; Xiejiekou: r=-0.086, P=0.500). The insects of Orthoptera (Ei<-0.35) and Homoptera (Ei<-0.37) were avoided when feeding. The insects of Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera and Arachnida were the preferred prey for Rana pleuraden(Ei>0.45).