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Differences in swimming and diving abilities between two sympatric species of water shrews: Neomys anomalus and Neomys fodiens (Soricidae)

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Abstract

Swimming and diving abilities of two syntopic species of water shrews, Neomys anomalus and Neomys fodiens, were tested in aquaria using video recordings taken from three views (lateral distant, lateral close and dorsal). The frequency and total duration of diving, as well as the mean duration of diving and floating bouts, were significantly higher in N. fodiens than in N. anomalus. Frequency of paddling during surface swimming was lower in N. fodiens than in N. anomalus. N. fodiens dived mainly for long distances at the bottom of the aquarium and performed a wider range of dive profiles than N. anomalus, which preferred rather short and shallow dives. The two species differed also significantly in their fineness ratios (describing how streamlined their bodies are) when diving. When swimming, N. fodiens had a relatively wider body and performed narrower movements with its tail than N. anomalus. These results show quantitatively and qualitatively for the first time that N. fodiens is more proficient at swimming and diving than N. anomalus. The results also help to explain the inter-specific differences in efficiency of underwater foraging, and support the idea of segregation of ecological niches of these species based on their different foraging modes (diving vs. wading).

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Acknowledgments

We are very grateful to R. Schröpfer and A. Schwegmann for access to apparatus and lab, and their help in Osnabrück; to S. Carvalho and M. Simões for their field and technical assistance; to J.R.E. Taylor and G. Ramalhinho for stimulating discussions; and to H. Cabral for help in the statistical analysis. P. Redman kindly improved our English. This study was financed by the Leonardo da Vinci Programme (agreement no. P/03/A/F/PL-125809), the Polish State Committee for Scientific Research (research grant no. 6 P04F 036 21) and Centre of Excellence BIOTER (contract no. EVK2-CT-2002-80011, European Commission’s Fifth Framework Programme).

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  1. Helena Mendes-Soares

    Present address: Department of Biology, Indiana University Bloomington, Jordan Hall A308, 1001 East Third St., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA

  2. Leszek Rychlik

    Present address: Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland

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  1. Mammal Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Waszkiewicza 1, 17-230, Białowieża, Poland

    Helena Mendes-Soares & Leszek Rychlik

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  1. Helena Mendes-Soares
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  2. Leszek Rychlik
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Correspondence to Leszek Rychlik.

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Mendes-Soares, H., Rychlik, L. Differences in swimming and diving abilities between two sympatric species of water shrews: Neomys anomalus and Neomys fodiens (Soricidae). J Ethol 27, 317–325 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-008-0122-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-008-0122-z

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