Competition Avoidance Mechanisms in Salamander Larvae of the Genus Desmognathus

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Abstract
The larvae of sympatric salamander populations of D. fuscus and D. ochrophaeus in northeastern Ohio [USA] differ significantly in the time required to absorb gut yolk. Similar interspecific differences were found between the larvae of sympatric populations of D. quadramaculatus and D. monticola monticola in the vicinity of Highlands, North Carolina. In both study areas, the larger of the 2 sympatric species hatched earlier and had the more rapid yolk absorption time. Coupled with differences in hatching times, these absorption time differences may be adaptive in lengthening the time between initial feeding and in increasing the size differences between closely related, sympatric salamander species, thus minimizing competition for similar sized prey. A comparison of yolk absorption times between Ohio D. fuscus larvae sympatric with its smaller congener, D. ochrophaeus, and Ohio D. fuscus allopatric to D. ochrophaeus indicated that the sympatric D. fuscus had significantly shorter yolk absorption time than allopatric D. fuscus. Character displacement is proposed as a possible explanation for the absorption time differences between these D. fuscus populations.

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