• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.55-65
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• 2018

This study was conducted to clarify diet items and predatory behavior of American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) according to the sex, maturity and season from April to September 2014 at Gahang wetland of Changnyeong-gun, Gyeongsangnamdo province, Korea. We examined the stomach contents of L. catesbeianus using a gastrectomy technique and identified the contents to a genus or species. The examination showed that large and heavy individual of L. catesbeianus fed on larger amounts of food. However, there were no statistically significant differences in predation amount according to the sex and maturity of L. catesbeianus. The main diet item of during the study period was mostly Insecta (average population rate of 65.5%), followed by Crustacea (13.5%) and Gastropoda (7.9%). The most preferred diet item of L. catesbeianus was Muljarus japonicus. Surprisingly, L. catesbeianus also foraged Parus major, Apodemus agrarius, and Crocidura lasiura. Ths findings showed that L. catesbeianus directly disturbed the wetland ecosystem. We expect the results will be the important reference data for checking the impact of L. catesbeianus, which is designated as invasive species by the Ministry of Environment, on wetland ecosystem.