Habitat heterogeneity on feeding habit of two sympatric and congeneric characidae fishes in two tropical reservoirs

Abstract Food flexibility and omnivory are important features pronounced in Neotropical freshwater fish species, particularly for Astyanax species. Traditionally most fish diet resources are known to be originated in the aquatic environment, however recent studies have pointed to the importance of allochthonous sources. Besides, the colonization of macrophytes, common at several tropical reservoirs, may enhance insectivory in fish diet expanding or concentrating the area of available resources for feeding. Here we employed stomach contents analysis of two sympatric Astyanax species to access the importance of habitat differentiations as spatial complexity in two tropical reservoirs with different environmental features. The NMDS analysis indicated separation in the diet of these species between reservoirs (Stress= 8.28%). Additionally, analysis of variance revealed a significative difference in the volume of food itens ingested between the reservoirs (Anova one-way F(1, 132)=4.4446; p= 0.037). This points out the importance of environmental conditions on the composition of the diet of fishes. This study highlighted the insectivorous feeding habit of Astyanax species and revealed different feeding strategies between sympatric fishes despite high niche overlap in both environments. Habitat heterogeneity increasing food resources availability plays an important role in the diet strategy of these Astyanax species and on their constant maintenance in the two different reservoirs.

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Resource partitioning and ecomorphological variation in two syntopic species of Lebiasinidae (Characiformes) in an Amazonian stream

Acta Amazonica ◽

10.1590/1809-4392201501024 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 46 (1) ◽

pp. 25-36 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Nathália Carina dos Santos SILVA ◽

Aluízio José Lopes da COSTA ◽

José LOUVISE ◽

Bruno Eleres SOARES ◽

Vanessa Cristine e Souza REIS ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Resource Partitioning ◽

Trophic Ecology ◽

Species Coexistence ◽

Stomach Contents ◽

Relative Length ◽

Niche Overlap ◽

The Body ◽

Feeding Strategies ◽

Relative Depth ◽

Feeding Niche

ABSTRACTResource partitioning is important for species coexistence. Species with similar ecomorphology are potential competitors, especially when phylogenetically close, due to niche conservatism. The aim of this study was to investigate the resource partitioning among populations of two species of lebiasinids (Copella nigrofasciata and Pyrrhulina aff. brevis) that co-occur in a first-order Amazonian stream, analyzing the trophic ecology, feeding strategies and ecomorphological attributes related to the use of food and space by these species. Fish were captured in May and September 2010. The stomach contents of 60 individuals were analyzed and quantified volumetrically to characterize the feeding ecology of both species. Eleven morphological attributes were measured in 20 specimens and combined in nine ecomorphological indices. Both species had an omnivorous-invertivorous diet and consumed predominantly allochthonous items. Both showed a tendency to a generalist diet, but intrapopulational variation in resource use was also detected. Overall feeding niche overlap was high, but differed between seasons: low during the rainy season and high in the dry season. In the latter, the food niche overlap was asymmetric because C. nigrofasciata consumed several prey of P. aff. brevis, which reduced its food spectrum. The ecomorphological analysis suggests that C. nigrofasciatahas greater swimming capacity (greater relative length of caudal peduncle) than P. aff. brevis, which has greater maneuverability and tendency to inhabit lentic environments (greater relative depth of the body). Our results demonstrate that these species have similar trophic ecology and suggest a spatial segregation, given by morphological differences related to locomotion and occupation of habitat, favoring their coexistence.

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Resource use by two electric fishes (Gymnotiformes) of the National Forest Saracá-Taquera, Oriximiná, Pará

Neotropical Ichthyology ◽

10.1590/1982-0224-20160144 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Bruno E. Soares ◽

Daniela C. O. Rosa ◽

Nathália C. S. Silva ◽

Miriam P. Albrecht ◽

Érica P. Caramaschi

Keyword(s):

Resource Use ◽

Niche Breadth ◽

Feeding Strategy ◽

Stomach Contents ◽

Niche Overlap ◽

Feeding Strategies ◽

National Forest ◽

Microhabitat Use ◽

Use Patterns ◽

Head Morphology

ABSTRACT Fishes of the order Gymnotiformes have high diversity of oral and head morphology, which suggests trophic specializations within each clade. The aim of this study was to describe resource use patterns by two fish species (Gymnorhamphichthys rondoni and Gymnotus coropinae) in the National Forest Saracá-Taquera, Oriximiná - Pará, analyzing microhabitat use, diet composition, feeding strategies, niche breadth and niche overlap. Stomach contents of 101 individuals (41 G. rondoni and 60 G. coropinae), sampled in 23 headwater streams were analyzed and volume of food items was quantified to characterize their feeding ecology. Gymnorhamphichthys rondoni was captured mainly on sandy bottoms, whereas G. coropinae in crevices. Both species had a zoobenthivorous diet and consumed predominantly Sediment/Detritus and Diptera larvae, but also included allochthonous prey in their diet. These species had high niche overlap, with small variations related to the higher consumption of Ceratopogonidae larvae by G. rondoni and of Chironomidae larvae by G. coropinae. Both species had a generalist feeding strategy, but G. coropinae had a broader niche breadth. Our results demonstrate that G. rondoni and G. coropinae occupy different microhabitats but rely on similar food resources.

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Trophic niche overlap in two syntopic colubrid snakes (Hierophis viridiflavus and Zamenis longissimus) with contrasted lifestyles

Amphibia-Reptilia ◽

10.1163/156853811x620022 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 33 (1) ◽

pp. 37-44 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Hervé Lelièvre ◽

Pierre Legagneux ◽

Gabriel Blouin-Demers ◽

Xavier Bonnet ◽

Olivier Lourdais

Keyword(s):

Diet Composition ◽

Feeding Rate ◽

Species Coexistence ◽

Niche Partitioning ◽

Stomach Contents ◽

Niche Overlap ◽

Trophic Niche ◽

Temperate Climate ◽

Feeding Strategies ◽

Mean Body Temperature

In many organisms, including snakes, trophic niche partitioning is an important mechanism promoting species coexistence. In ectotherms, feeding strategies are also influenced by lifestyle and thermoregulatory requirements: active foragers tend to maintain high body temperatures, expend more energy, and thus necessitate higher energy income. We studied diet composition and trophic niche overlap in two south European snakes (Hierophis viridiflavus and Zamenis longissimus) in the northern part of their range. The two species exhibit contrasted thermal adaptations, one being highly mobile and thermophilic (H. viridiflavus) and the other being elusive with low thermal needs (Z. longissimus). We analyzed feeding rate (proportion of snakes with indication of a recent meal) and examined more than 300 food items (fecal pellets and stomach contents) in 147 Z. longissimus and 167 H. viridiflavus. There was noticeable overlap in diet (overlap of Z. longissimus on H. viridiflavus = 0.62; overlap of H. viridiflavus on Z. longissimus = 0.80), but the similarity analyses showed some divergence in diet composition. Dietary spectrum was wider in H. viridiflavus, which fed on various mammals, birds, reptiles, and arthropods whereas Z. longissimus was more specialized on mammals and birds. The more generalist nature of H. viridiflavus was consistent with its higher energy requirements. In contrast to our expectation, feeding rate was apparently higher in Z. longissimus than in H. viridiflavus, but this could be an artifact of a longer transit time in Z. longissimus, given its lower mean body temperature. These results allow a better understanding of the ability to coexist in snakes belonging to temperate climate colubrid communities.

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Effect of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) plantations on individual-level diet variation of Hylaeamys megacephalus (G. Fisher 1814) (Rodentia, Cricetidae) in eastern Amazon Forest

Biota Neotropica ◽

10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2018-0597 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Simone Almeida Pena ◽

Ana Cristina Mendes-Oliveira

Keyword(s):

Palm Oil ◽

Oil Palm ◽

Elaeis Guineensis ◽

Stomach Contents ◽

Niche Overlap ◽

Palm Tree ◽

Amazon Forest ◽

Tree Plantation ◽

Forest Environment ◽

Oil Palm Plantation

Abstract: In this study we described the diet of Hylaeamys megacephalus (G. Fisher, 1814) and investigated the degree of individual variation in the diet of this species among the Amazon Forest and the oil palm plantation. We analyzed the stomach contents of 36 individuals, of whom 11 were collected in the forest and 25 captured in the palm oil palm plantation. The H. megacephalus diet consisted of 18 food items, of which 12 were animal composition and eight were vegetable composition. The niche amplitude of the species was narrower in the forest area (Baforest = 0.013) compared to the palm tree plantation area (Bapalm = 0.478). This shows that individuals have greater niche overlap in forest areas, while in the plantation areas the animals expand their food niche. In addition, the values of the mean of the individual diet in relation to the diet of the entire population were lower in the palm oil palm plantation environment (ISpalm = 0.164) than in the Forest environment (ISforest = 0.357), indicating a high specialization in the palm oil plantation. These results indicate a population mechanism to reduce intraspecific competition in response to scarce resources.

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The influence of sex and reproductive state on diet preference in four terrestrial mammals of the French Guianan rain forest

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z97-111 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 75 (6) ◽

pp. 929-935 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

O. Henry

Keyword(s):

Stomach Contents ◽

Reproductive Activity ◽

Relative Energy ◽

Feeding Strategies ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Protein Requirements ◽

Terrestrial Mammals ◽

Pregnant Females ◽

Diet Preference ◽

Gravid Females

The diets of males and pregnant and nonpregnant females were studied in four French Guianan mammal species, three rodents and one artiodactyl, illustrating a gradient of size, mass, and gestation, and thus of energy and protein requirements. In the rodents (Oryzomys capito, Proechimys cuvieri, Dasyprocta leporina), males were more frugivorous than females, whereas the reverse was the case in the artiodactyl (Tayassu tajacu). For all species, males ate the most pulp, while pregnant females focused on seeds or animal matter. Nevertheless, males and females appeared to be opportunistic foragers, with similar feeding strategies throughout the year. A comparative analysis of stomach contents showed that the diets of males and nonpregnant females were quite comparable, while significant differences occurred in gravid females (especially of the two smallest species). Intra-individual differences gradually decreased from O. capito to T. tajacu, possibly as a result of closer male and female cohabitation as well as lower relative energy and protein requirements for pregnant females of the larger species. Finally, for the two smallest species, reproductive activity was correlated with seed and (or) animal matter intake.

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Variability in the diet diversity of catfish highlighted through DNA barcoding

10.1101/2020.09.18.268888 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Chinnamani Prasannakumar ◽

Gunasekaran Iyyapparajanarasimapallavan ◽

M. Ashiq Ur Rahman ◽

P. Mohanchander ◽

T. Sudhakar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Barcoding ◽

Monsoon Season ◽

Stomach Contents ◽

Hermit Crabs ◽

Gut Contents ◽

Reference Database ◽

Perna Viridis ◽

Fish Diet ◽

Diet Diversity ◽

Post Monsoon

AbstractIdentification and quantification of fish diet diversity was the first step in understanding the food web dynamics and ecosystem energetics, where the contribution of DNA barcoding technique has been important. We used DNA barcoding to identify the stomach contents of a euryhaline, benthophagous catfish Ariius maculatus. From 40 catfish stomach items sampled in two different seasons, we barcoded 67 piscine and macro-invertebrates prey items, identified as belonging to 13 species in 4 major phyla (viz., Chordate, Arthropod, Annelida and Mollusca). It is important to note that the mollusc taxa (Meritrix meritrix and Perna viridis) and a species of fish (Stolephorus indicus) could not be found among the gut contents of A. maculatus sampled during the pre- and post-monsoon season, respectively. Among the piscine diets of A. maculatus, Eubleekeria splendens (23.5%) and Stolephorus indicus (23.5%) were the major prey taxa during pre-monsoon season. The hermit crabs forms the major constituents of both pre- and post-monsoon seasons, among invertebrate taxa. Polychaete, Capitella capitata (25.92%) was abundantly consumed invertebrates next to hermit crabs. We noticed that in pre-monsoon A. maculatus was more piscivorous than post-monsoon. As revealed through Kimura-2 parametric pairwise distance analysis, the diet diversity was relatively higher in post-monsoon. The accumulation curve estimated 57 haplotypes within 14 barcoded species (including the host A. maculatus). Majority of haplotypes were found among fishes (47.36%) followed by Arthropods (28.07%), Annelids (14.03%) and Mollusca (10.52%), respectively. This study also highlights that there is a growing concern about A. maculatus’s aggressive predation on commercially important stocks of fish and invertebrates. We will continue to expand the coverage of species barcoded in the reference database, which will become more significant as meta- and environmental DNA barcoding techniques become cheaper and prevalent.

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Competition and feeding ecology in two sympatric Xenopus species (Anura: Pipidae)

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.3130 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 5 ◽

pp. e3130 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Solveig Vogt ◽

F. André de Villiers ◽

Flora Ihlow ◽

Dennis Rödder ◽

John Measey

Keyword(s):

Food Preferences ◽

Stomach Contents ◽

Niche Overlap ◽

Niche Differentiation ◽

Shannon Index ◽

Trophic Niche ◽

Western Cape ◽

The South ◽

Amphibian Species ◽

Study Sites

The widespread African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) occurs in sympatry with the IUCN Endangered Cape platanna (Xenopus gilli) throughout its entire range in the south-western Cape, South Africa. In order to investigate aspects of the interspecific competition between populations of X. laevis and X. gilli, an assessment of their niche differentiation was conducted through a comprehensive study on food composition and trophic niche structure at two study sites: the Cape of Good Hope (CoGH) and Kleinmond. A total of 399 stomach contents of X. laevis (n = 183) and X. gilli (n = 216) were obtained together with samples of available prey to determine food preferences using the Electivity index (E*), the Simpson’s index of diversity (1 − D), the Shannon index (H′), and the Pianka index (Ojk). Xenopus gilli diet was more diverse than X. laevis, particularly in Kleimond where the Shannon index was nearly double. Both species were found to consume large amounts of tadpoles belonging to different amphibian species, including congeners, with an overall higher incidence of anurophagy than previously recorded. However, X. laevis also feeds on adult X. gilli, thus representing a direct threat for the latter. While trophic niche overlap was 0.5 for the CoGH, it was almost 1 in Kleinmond, suggesting both species utilise highly congruent trophic niches. Further, subdividing the dataset into three size classes revealed overlap to be higher in small frogs in both study sites. Our study underlines the importance of actively controlling X. laevis at sites with X. gilli in order to limit competition and predation, which is vital for conservation of the south-western Cape endemic.

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Adaptive foraging behaviour increases vulnerability to climate change

10.21203/rs.3.rs-943382/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Benoit Gauzens ◽

Benjamin Rosenbaum ◽

Gregor Kalinkat ◽

Thomas Boy ◽

Malte Jochum ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Foraging Behavior ◽

Dynamic Models ◽

Species Coexistence ◽

Prey Availability ◽

Stomach Contents ◽

Optimal Foraging Theory ◽

Trophic Niche ◽

Feeding Strategies ◽

Adaptive Foraging

Abstract Adaptative foraging behavior should promote species coexistence and biodiversity under climate change as predators are expected to maximize their energy intake, according to principles of optimal foraging theory. We test these assumptions using a dataset comprising 22,185 stomach contents of fish species across functional groups, feeding strategies, and prey availability in the environment over 12 years. Our results show that foraging shifts from trait-dependent prey selectivity to density dependence in warmer and more productive environments. This behavioral change leads to lower consumption efficiency as species shift away from their optimal trophic niche, undermining species persistence and biodiversity. By integrating this adaptive foraging behavior into dynamic models, our study reveals higher risk profiles for ecosystems under global warming.

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Notes on the diet of adult Yellow Catfish Aspistor luniscutis (Pisces: Siluriformes) in northern Rio de Janeiro State, southeastern Brazil

Journal of Threatened Taxa ◽

10.11609/jott.4561.11.7.13920-13924 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 13920-13924 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ana Paula Madeira Di Beneditto ◽

Maria Thereza Manhães Tavares

Keyword(s):

Rio De Janeiro ◽

Prey Species ◽

Stomach Contents ◽

Southeastern Brazil ◽

Yellow Catfish ◽

Stomach Contents Analysis ◽

Penaeid Shrimps ◽

Brachyuran Crabs ◽

Sciaenid Fish ◽

Janeiro State

Diet of adult specimens of Yellow Catfish Aspistor luniscutis (Valenciennes, 1840) was determined through stomach contents analysis. The specimens were target of commercial gillnet fisheries in northern Rio de Janeiro State, southeastern Brazil. In this region, A. luniscutis is a generalist benthophagous feeder, consuming most available prey species with crustaceans, especially penaeid shrimps, brachyuran crabs, and sciaenid fish dominating.

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Feeding aspects of Knodus heteresthes (Eigenmann, 1908) and Moenkhausia lepidura (Kner, 1858) (Characiformes, Characidae) in the Teles Pires and Juruena Rivers, southern Amazon

Brazilian Journal of Biology ◽

10.1590/1519-6984.226136 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

E. Oliveira ◽

A. R. A. Ignácio ◽

W. L. Lázaro ◽

C. C. Muniz ◽

D. V. S. Campos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stomach Contents ◽

Niche Overlap ◽

Trophic Niche ◽

Frequency Of Occurrence ◽

Dietary Preference ◽

Importance Index

Abstract The composition of the diet of two species of characids (Knodus heteresthes and Moenkhausia lepidura) was evaluated in the Teles Pires and Juruena Rivers, sampled in September and October 2016. We analyzed 226 stomachs of K. heteresthes and 425 of M. lepidura. The analysis of the stomach contents was based on volumetric and frequency of occurrence methods, applying the food importance index. For the similarity of the diets between the species we calculated the niche overlap with Pianka’s index. Both species in the Juruena River have a dietary preference for arthropods (IAi > 0.95). In the Teles Pires River the diet is concentrated in three sources for both species: arthropods (IAi > 0.52), vegetables (IAi > 0.33) and fish (IAi > 0.12). The diet was dissimilar when compared to environments (ANOSIM, R ≥ 0.57, p < 0.001) with high trophic niche overlap (α > 0.97), regardless of the sampled environment. In the Teles Pires River, both species were classified as omnivorous with an insectivorous tendency and in the Juruena River the insectivorous behaviour occurs.

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