INTRAGUILD PREDATION AMONG LARVAL PLETHODONTID SALAMANDERS - A FIELD EXPERIMENT IN ARTIFICIAL STREAM POOLS

Intraguild predation can be important in determining community structure and dynamics. Artificial stream pools were used to test for the impacts of intraguild predation among three species of larval plethodontid salamanders. Intraguild predators (large Gyrinophilus porphyriticus and Pseudotriton ruber) significantly decreased the survival of small Pseudotriton ruber. There was a trend toward reduced growth of Pseudotriton and Eurycea cirrigera in the presence of intraguild predators. The presence of large Gyrinophilus significantly reduced the growth rate of large Pseudotriton, both in the absence and presence of intraguild prey. The presence of intraguild prey did not significantly increase the growth rates of the intraguild predators. Intraguild predation is likely to be an important force shaping the evolution and ecology of these salamanders.