Whilst a mesopredator is typically a less-specialized predator at lower trophic level than the top apex predator, and they tend to be smaller than top predators, and they tend to be medium-sized and smaller, Prugh et al. state a mesopredator should be defined regardless of its size or taxonomy. I was wondering if anyone knew of an example of a mesopredator that was smaller than the apex predator in the system?
Watermites are top (Apex) predators. They are seldom predated due to their distastefulness. Whales are also top carnivores.
Does size matter? Surely it is the ecological question that is key.
Yes, but my question relates to the relationship between apex and mesopredators: are you suggesting that in a community where there are water mites that are apex predator (occupy the top of the food chain and have no predators themselves) that there is a predator that occupies the trophic level below the watermite apex predator yet is larger than it?
Mesopredators are defined as medium-sized predators, such as raccoons, skunks, snakes, cats, and foxes, often increase in abundance when larger predators are eliminated. On the other hand, an apexpredator is an animal who as adult has no natural predators in its ecosystem. The great white shark is an example of an apexpredator.
I already am aware of the definition. All I am asking is whether there are any examples of a system where a mesopredator is larger than the apex given that a meso and apex predator are defined by their trophic level rather than body size, despite the usual relation of mesopredators being smaller.
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