Abstract

Palatability of Hemidactylium scutatum eggs was examined in a factorial experiment. Eggs of Hemidactylium and Desmognathus ocoee, which are known to be palatable, were offered to carabid beetle species collected from pond and stream habitats. Beetles collected from a pond habitat did not eat salamander eggs of either species, suggesting that they do not include salamander eggs in their diet regardless of palatablility. Beetles collected from a stream habitat punctured the same number of eggs of both species but consumed a much greater number of D. ocoee eggs. These results suggest that eggs of Hemidactylium contain a toxic or noxious chemical repellant in the jelly layer and may help to explain lack of nest defense and desertion in Hemidactylium and other caudate species.