Authors
Zuzanna M Rosin, Paulina Olborska, Adrian Surmacki, Piotr Tryjanowski
Publication date
2011/9
Journal
Journal of Biosciences
Volume
36
Pages
691-699
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Description
The evolution of shell polymorphism in terrestrial snails is a classic textbook example of the effect of natural selection in which avian and mammalian predation represents an important selective force on gene frequency. However, many questions about predation remain unclear, especially in the case of mammals. We collected 2000 specimens from eight terrestrial gastropod species to investigate the predation pressure exerted by birds and mice on snails. We found evidence of avian and mammalian predation in 26.5% and 36.8% of the shells. Both birds and mammals were selective with respect to snail species, size and morphs. Birds preferred the brown-lipped banded snail Cepaea nemoralis (L.) and mice preferred the burgundy snail Helix pomatia L. Mice avoided pink mid-banded C. nemoralis and preferred brown mid-banded morphs, which were neglected by birds. In contrast to mice, birds chose …
Total citations
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Scholar articles
ZM Rosin, P Olborska, A Surmacki, P Tryjanowski - Journal of Biosciences, 2011