Diets of three sympatric Neotropical small cats: Food niche overlap and interspecies differences in prey consumption

摘要: Dietary investigations of sympatric felids are means for understanding how closely related species deal with food resources in a potentially competitive scenario. The diets the oncilla Leopardus tigrinus, jaguarundi Puma yagouaroundi and ocelot pardalis were studied through analysis scats Araucaria Pine Forest Natural Grasslands southern Brazil. Small mammals comprised bulk three felids, followed by birds reptiles. smallest food-niche overlap index was 0.84, indicating that these shared an important portion their resources. Inter-species differences detected consumption most frequent rodent prey; L. tigrinus only consumed all prey differently from rate expected abundances. Although findings suggest interactions, being subordinate species, further experimental necessary to elucidate more precisely syntopic coexist. effects sample size its influences on evaluation especially ocelot, discussed. We compare our data previous study same area, account possible biased sampling uneven distribution diet ocelot. opportunistic feeding behavior abundance primary (cricetid rodents) seem allow small cats be resilient despite severe anthropogenic disturbance area. guidelines future studies region, order understand dynamics mammalian carnivores demography.