Diet composition of three anurans from the playa wetlands of northwest Texas

Great Plains toads (Bufo cognatus), plains spadefoots (Spea bombifrons), an d New Mexico spadefoots (S. multiplicata) commonly breed in playa wetlands on the Southern High Plains of northwest Texas and eastern New Mexico. Grea t Plains toads (n = 129) consumed 43 invertebrate taxa, plains spadefoots ( n = 24) consumed 12 invertebrate taxa, and New Mexico spadefoots (n = 38) c onsumed 20 invertebrate taxa during 1995 and 1996. Diet overlap was greates t between Great Plains toads and New Mexico spadefoots during 1995. Carabid s were the most commonly consumed food item by all species during 1995 and 1996. Conservation of anurans that use playas should focus on playas that a re surrounded by terrestrial grassland habitats that provide foraging sites for breeding anurans.