Predation-induced injuries in wild populations of alpine newt

Animal species not at the top of the food pyramid,including most amphibians,are exposed to predation. to date,the frequency and types of injuries observed in european newts have not been analyzed. this article presents a study of this phenomenon conducted during 2007-2009 at three localities in the czech republic. of 549 captured individuals,9.3% had been injured. wounds were found primarily to the tail (78.4% of injured newts) and to extremities in the form of missing toes (19.6%). other types of wounds or their combinations occurred only exceptionally. the presence of injuries differed among localities,but was not affected by body length or sex. the complex life cycle and regenerative abilities of newts complicate drawing conclusions as to the ecological background of injury frequency. therefore,future studies focused on this topic should utilize experimental approaches. copyright 2013 zoological society of pakistan.