Which specific invertebrates do ground squirrels actively seek out to meet requirements for essential proteins and fats?
Answer
Insects like grasshoppers and beetles, as well as larvae and grubs
The animal component of the Xerus diet is a targeted acquisition aimed at supplementing their intake with necessary proteins and fats that vegetation may lack or offer inefficiently. The text specifies that common prey items include various invertebrates, specifically naming insects such as grasshoppers and beetles. Additionally, they consume larvae and grubs found in the soil or decaying matter. The opportunity might also arise for them to consume eggs or occasionally very small vertebrates, though invertebrates form the core of this supplementary animal matter.
Related Questions
How is the general dietary approach of the Xerus genus, encompassing Xerus erythropus and Xerus inauris, characterized?What plant material often forms a particularly important component of the Xerus vegetable diet?Which specific invertebrates do ground squirrels actively seek out to meet requirements for essential proteins and fats?What term describes the strictly diurnal pattern of feeding activity observed in Xerus squirrels?How do Xerus squirrels maintain their fluid balance without always accessing streams or ponds?What is the purpose of Xerus squirrels caching surplus seeds or provisions in their burrow systems?What diet is noted for the African Striped Ground Squirrel (Xerus erythropus) in its more vegetated habitat range?What dependency is often shown by the Cape Ground Squirrel (Xerus inauris) regarding its location in the drier Karoo and Kalahari regions?Why does digging for underground food in deep, loose, sandy soils of the Kalahari offer a maximized caloric return for Xerus?What distinction separates the general Xerus diet from that of a strict herbivore?