Alimentos de los roedores Microtus mexicanus, Reithrodontomys megalotis y Peromyscus maniculatus del ex lago de Texcoco, México

Abstract

STOMACH CONTENTS OF THE ROEDENTS MICROTUS MEXICANUS, REIHTHRODONTOMYS MEGALOTIS AND PEROMYSCUS MANICULATUS COLLECTED THROUGHOUT ONE YEAR IN "ZONA FEDERAL VASO FEDERAL DEL EX - LAGO DE TEXCOCO, ESTADO DE MEXICO", WERE EXAMINED. EIGHT OUT OF FOURTEEN IDENTIFIELD PLANTS ALONG WITH ARTHROPODS WERE EATEN BY THE ROEDENTS DISTICHLIS SPICATA, SUAEDA TORREYANA, ATRIPLEX SPP. AND THE ARTHROPODS MADE UP THE BULK OF THE DIET OF THE RODENTS. THESE FOOD ITEMS WERE ALWAYS AVAILABLE AND CONSUMED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, ALTHOUGH THEIR USE VARIED SEASONALLY. M. MEXICANUS AND R MEGALOTIS SCARCELY USED THE OTHER FOUR FOODS AND ONLY BETWEEN THE DRY AND WET PERIODS. THEREFORE, THE FOOD ITEMS OF THESE RODENTS WERE SIMILAR TO THOSE REPORTED FOR THESE TAXA FROM OTHER LOCALITIES WHERE THEY OCCUR. THEIR FOODS WERE FEW AND THE SAME WERE USED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR SUPPORTING THE ORIGINAL PREDICTION BASED ON FOOD SCARCITY FOR THE LOCAL MAMMALS.