Food habit of the endangered yellow-spotted newt Neurergus microspilotus (Caudata, Salamandridae) in Kavat Stream, western Iran

Zoological Studies

Table 3 Electivity values of prey categories consumed by N. microspilotus

Prey category	Diet		Macroinvertebrate		Electivity (E _i)
Prey category	N	%N	N	%N	Electivity (E _i)
Annelida-Lumbricidae	22	4.5	1316	27.20	−0.72^b
Amphipoda-Gammaridae	48	9.82	590	12.19	−0.11
Diptera-Mycetophilidae	120	24.54	971	20.06	0.10
Diptera-Cecidomyiidae	13	2.66	85	1.76	0.20
Hemiptera-Veliidae	4	0.82	51	1.05	−0.13
Coleoptera-Dytiscidae	5	1.02	93	1.92	−0.31
Coleoptera-Elmidae	1	0.2	7	0.14	0.17
Ephemeroptera-Baetidae	96	19.63	289	6.16	0.52^a
Ephemeroptera- Heptageniidae	9	1.84	335	6.92	−0.58^b
Trichoptera-Hydropsychidae	25	5.11	309	6.39	−0.11
Hymenoptera-Formicidae	3	0.61	13	0.27	0.39
Mesogastropoda-Bithynidae	9	1.84	6	0.12	0.87^a
Veneroida-Corbiculidae	117	23.93	77	1.6	0.88^a
Tricladida-Planariidae	8	1.64	450	9.3	−0.70^b
Orthoptera-Caelifera	5	1.02	0	0	1^a
Eggs (of themselves)	4	0.82	0	0	1^a
Hygrophila-Planorbidae	0	0	6	0.12	−1^b
Diptera-Tipulidae	0	0	32	0.66	−1^b
Diptera-Chamaemyiidae	0	0	119	2.5	−1^b
Ephemeroptera-Ephemeridae	0	0	81	1.67	−1^b
Total	489	100	4,839	100

In Kavat Stream, west Iran (n = 45 stomach contents); macroinvertebrate species are expressed as the number of individuals per square meter in the study area. ^aPreferred prey taxa (E _i > 0.5); ^bavoided prey taxa (E _i < −0.5); N total abundance; %N relative abundance.