Abstract
Abstract Gastrophryne carolinensis (Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad) is known to be an ant specialist, but prey identification has rarely progressed beyond family level. There are no prey records from Florida scrub, a rare upland habitat type. This study identifies species of 4859 individual ants retrieved from stomachs of 146 G. carolinensis collected in Florida scrub. All toads had consumed ants; ants comprised about 95% of all food items. Forty-three species of ants were recorded. About 77% were various species of Pheidole or Nylanderia. The ants consumed were mostly small (4 mm or less in length) and nocturnally active. Species that were eaten belong to ant genera known to contain venoms, chemical repellents, or other organic substances in exocrine glands. This finding suggests the possibility that Narrow-mouthed Toads have opportunities to sequester exocrine secretions of ants, in the manner of some other anurans. The diversity of ant species consumed by G. carolinensis suggests that this species might b...
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