Relationships of
Vertebrate Animals
to this Plant:
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Physalis spp. (Ground Cherry) [Solanaceae]
(observations are from Ernst et al., Martin et al., and Yeatter)
Birds
Phasianidae: Tympanuchus cupido (Greater Prairie Chicken) [the fruits comprise 0.1% of the diet for juveniles] Yt1943
Mammals
Cricetidae: Microtus pinetorum (Woodland Vole) [feeds on fruits] MZN1951; Didelphidae: Didelphis virginiana (Virginia Opossum) [fruits comprise 0.5-2% of the diet in Missouri] MZN1951; Mephitidae: Mephitis mephitis (Striped Skunk) [fruits comprise 2-5% of the diet in Iowa during fall] MZN1951
Turtles
Emydidae: Terrapene carolina (Eastern Box Turtle) [feeds on fruits] EBL1994, Terrapene ornata (Ornate Box Turtle) [feeds on fruits] EBL1994