Culture experiments with a freshwater cladoceran, <i>Ceriodaphnia quadrangula</i> (O. F. Müller, 1785), as suitable live food for Mayan cichlid (Cichlasoma urophthalmus) larvae

The geographic scope of species introductions has increased dramatically in the last 200 years. One of the greatest challenges to understanding the ecological consequences of non-native species is that it has been difficult to identify the attributes that allow them to become established outside their native range. This challenge is compounded by anthropogenic habitat alteration that often enhances the establishment and expansion of non-native species. Fishes in the family Cichlidae are notoriously adaptive, and contribute more non-native species to North America than any other fish family. This is especially true in Florida (USA), where 18 cichlid species have become established. The Mayan cichlid (Cichlasoma urophthalmus) was first documented in south Florida in 1983, and is present in many freshwater and estuarine habitats. This study reports a northward range expansion by C. urophthalmus, demonstrates the connectivity between altered freshwater habitats and tidal estuarine habitats, and suggests that the estuarine populations are ephemeral and dependent upon colonisation from populations in altered freshwater habitats.

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Dietary habits of juveniles of the Mayan cichlid, Cichlasoma urophthalmus, in mangrove ponds of an offshore islet in Belize, Central America

Neotropical Ichthyology ◽

10.1590/s1679-62252012000300021 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 667-674 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Amandine Vaslet ◽

Christine France ◽

Carole C. Baldwin ◽

Ilka C. Feller

Keyword(s):

Dietary Habits ◽

Food Sources ◽

Gut Contents ◽

Fish Diet ◽

Seagrass Beds ◽

Carbon Isotopic ◽

Cichlasoma Urophthalmus ◽

Mayan Cichlid ◽

Trophic Linkages ◽

Sink Hole

Foraging habitats of juveniles of the Mayan cichlid, Cichlasoma urophthalmus (Günther, 1862), were investigated in two mangrove ponds located in Twin Cays offshore islet in Belize: Sink Hole pond (SH) and Hidden Lake pond (HL). Sink Hole pond is a semiclosed body of water, whereas Hidden Lake pond is connected by a channel to adjacent seagrass beds that surround the islet. Gut contents of 21 juvenile C. urophthalmus (9.8-13.2 cm total length) were analyzed, and five prey taxa were identified. In both mangrove ponds, C. urophthalmus were opportunistic carnivores and consumed primarily crustaceans. Plant material and detritus present in gut contents were most likely ingested incidentally when the fish foraged on small invertebrates. Carbon isotopic values of fish specimens from the two ponds were similar (mean ± SD of -19.2 ± 0.4‰ in SH and -19.4 ± 0.4‰ in HL), and were close to those of mangrove prey (mean ± SD = -20.2 ± 1.5‰), suggesting that this fish species forages in this habitat. Mixing models showed a higher contribution of mangrove food sources to the fish diet than seagrass food sources. This study reveals that young Mayan cichlids, inhabiting two Belize mangrove ponds, are generalists and opportunistic carnivores that forage on mangrove food sources and do not appear to move to adjacent seagrass beds to complement their diets. Understanding trophic linkages between aquatic consumers and food resources may contribute to better management of threatened coastal ecosystems.

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