Effects of phylogenesis, morphology and habitat preferences on predatory exposure in a Mediterranean small mammal community

Data obtained in three‐year field study on a Mediterranean prey‐predators community in central Italy are discussed. In particular, the aim of this paper was to test whether some parameters linked to the morphology, phylogenesis and habitat preferences of a given potential prey could affect its predatory exposure. Eight predator species belonging to two different guilds (snakes and owls) were found at the study area, while ten preyed small mammal taxa were recognized in predator diets. One of the main factors emerging from this study was the great importance of body mass similarity in assessing the degree of overlap of predatory exposure between two small mammal taxa. On the contrary, the phylogenetic relationship between prey was of very little importance, probably because each phylogenetic group is composed by different potential prey species living in different habitats. In conclusion, due to the apparent lack of importance in the overlap of habitat preferences between the various prey in the overlapping of their predatory exposure, it could be stressed that the body mass similarity can be said to play the most relevant role in determining the overlap of predator community, exerciting a selective pressure on two different preyed taxa, and their effective predation risk.