Biogeographic variation of food habits and body size of the America puma (original) (raw)
Summary
The puma (Felis concolor) has the most extensive range of any terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere, covering over 100° latitude. Food habits of different puma subspecies vary with latitude. Subspecies from temperate habitats generally eat larger prey and specialize on a smaller number of prey taxa, whereas, in tropical habitats, they prey on smaller, more varied prey. In North America, ungulates (primarily deer) represented 68% of the puma's diet by frequency of occurrence. Mean weight of vertebrate prey (MWVP) was positively correlated (r=0.875) with puma body weight and inversely correlated (r=-0.836) with food niche breadth in all America. In general, MWVP was lower in areas closer to the Equator. Patterns of puma prey selection are probably influenced by prey availability and vulnerability, habitat characteristics, and potential competition from the jaguar (Panthera onca).
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Author notes
- J. Agustin Iriarte
Present address: Department of Animal Ecology, Iowa State University, 50011, Ames, IA, USA
Authors and Affiliations
- Center for Latin American Studies, University of Florida, 32611, Gainesville, FL, USA
J. Agustin Iriarte & Kent H. Redford - Department of Animal Ecology, Iowa State University, 50011, Ames, IA, USA
William L. Franklin & Warren E. Johnson
Authors
- J. Agustin Iriarte
- William L. Franklin
- Warren E. Johnson
- Kent H. Redford
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Iriarte, J.A., Franklin, W.L., Johnson, W.E. et al. Biogeographic variation of food habits and body size of the America puma.Oecologia 85, 185–190 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00319400
- Received: 16 April 1990
- Accepted: 07 August 1990
- Issue date: December 1990
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00319400