Arthropods as vertebrate predators: A review of global patterns

Abstract

Aim
Arthropods as vertebrate predators is a generally overlooked aspect in ecology due to the cryptic nature of these events, the relatively small size of arthropods and the difficulty in finding published data. This study represents the largest global assessment of arthropods preying on vertebrates to provide a conceptual framework, identify global patterns and provide a searchable database.


Location
Global.


Time period
Present.


Major taxa studied
Arthropods and vertebrates.


Methods
A systematic literature review was conducted.


Results
Over 1,300 recorded observations were collated from 89 countries. Arthropod predators were from 6 classes and 83 families. Vertebrate prey were from 5 classes and 163 families. Spiders represented over half of all predatory events and were the main predator for all vertebrates except birds, which were mostly preyed upon by praying mantises. Forty percent of all prey were amphibians, specifically frogs. Depredated reptiles were nearly all lizards, half of mammal prey were bats, nearly a third of fish were Cypriniformes and half of bird prey were passerines. Predation by spiders was mainly documented from the U.S., Brazil and Australia, and biased mostly everywhere except the U.S.; insect predatory events were mainly documented from Europe, Australia and the Americas, and biased toward North America; amphibian events were mainly from the Americas and strongly biased everywhere, except for the U.S. and Australia; reptiles events were recorded mostly from the Americas and Australia, and biased towards the U.S. and Australia; predation on birds were mainly from the Americas, Australia and Europe, and biased towards Central America and Europe; and mammal events were mostly reported from North and Central America, Australia, and Asia, and strongly biased everywhere except Brazil.


Main conclusions
This study demonstrates that arthropods are underestimated predators of vertebrates. Recognizing and quantifying these predator–prey interactions is vital for identifying patterns and the potential impact of these relationships on shaping vertebrate populations and communities.