In this work we aimed to characterise the diet of Astyanax taeniatus (Jenyns 1842) (Characiformes, Characidae) along the Mato Grosso stream and we hypothesised that the diet of this species would vary according to spatial, seasonal and ontogenetic differences. Specimens were collected every second month at three sites with different physical attributes. The feeding habits of 651 specimens were analysed using the Alimentary Index (IA i ). Analysis of the diet showed an effect of spatial, temporal and ontogenetic factors. Vegetal allochthonous items were more important in the diet of Astyanax taeniatus in upstream sites while animal autochthonous items were more important downstream. Ontogenetic differences in the diet were significant only in upstream sites, where adults consumed a greater amount of vegetal matter than juveniles. These results reinforce the idea that Astyanax species are opportunistic and show trophic plasticity.Keywords: feeding, opportunism, stream fish. Plasticidade trófica em Astyanax taeniatus de um riacho costeiro do Sudeste do Brasil ResumoNeste trabalho, objetivou-se caracterizar a dieta de Astyanax taeniatus (Jenyns 1842) (Characiformes, Characidae) ao longo do Rio Mato Grosso, com a hipótese de que a espécie apresente variações espaciais, sazonais e ontogenéticas. Os exemplares foram coletados bimestralmente em três localidades, que diferiram pelas variáveis físicas. As preferências alimentares foram analisadas a partir de 651 exemplares, utilizando-se o Índice Alimentar (IA i ). Foram avaliadas diferenças espaciais, sazonais e ontogenéticas a partir dos dados de dieta. Os itens de origem vegetal e alóctone foram mais importantes na dieta da espécie para as localidades com maior altitude, enquanto os itens animais e autóctones, na localidade baixa. Na dieta de jovens e adultos, houve diferença significativa na contribuição de itens de origem vegetal e animal somente na localidade mais alta, onde os adultos consumiram maior quantidade de matéria vegetal. Os resultados reforçam a ideia de que as espécies de Astyanax possuem hábito alimentar onívoro e oportunista, evidenciando sua alta plasticidade alimentar ao longo do riacho.Palavras-chave: alimentação, oportunismo, peixe de riacho.

Functional diversity of fish communities has been measured according to (a) interspecific variability, assuming that intraspecific variability is negligible, or (b) morphological differences, as good descriptors of complex functions, such as diet. These two assumptions have been scarcely tested on the individual level, especially in species‐rich tropical ecosystems. Here, we adapted intraspecific specialisation (ISpe) and intraspecific originality indices (IOri) to assess complementary components of intraspecific variability. Next, we applied these indices to evaluate the intra‐ and interspecific variability of morphological and diet traits in two contrasting Brazilian stream‐dwelling fish assemblages (rainforest and savannah). We also compared correlations between morphology and diet at the individual and species level to test whether accounting for intraspecific variability increases the predictability of diet due to morphological differences. Significant contributions of intraspecific variability to differences between fish were revealed for morphology and diet. Intraspecific variability in the diet was higher than that in morphology in both assemblages. The ISpe was positively correlated to IOri in the diet of both ecosystems. The morphological–dietary relationships were significant but weak at both individual and species levels. Our findings highlight the importance of measuring individual variability and accounting for complementary components of the intraspecific variability (ISpe and IOri). Importantly, we showed that the variability in morphology does not predict diet variability at both intra‐ and interspecific levels. Thus, high intraspecific variability in morphology and diet challenges the use of functional traits measured at the species level to describe the functional diversity of different fish assemblages.

The effects of riparian forest removal on a neotropical stream fish assemblage were assessed in the Mata Atlântica. Fish assemblage structure and fish feeding patterns were quantified at three sites along a pristine‐to‐deforested gradient in a Serra do Mar stream: (1) a pristine site fully covered by canopy with no light penetration and transparent waters, (2) an intermediate site with partially removed forest and (3) a fully removed forest site with no canopy and full light penetration where siltation and turbid waters predominate. Fish assemblage structure, fish densities and their feeding patterns differed widely among sites. Whilst the same five fish species occurred at the three sites, forest removal favoured the occurrence of sediment‐tolerant iliophagous benthic species at the deforested site. At the pristine site, invertebrate prey predominated in water column fish diet and feeding overlap among species was low. Severe shifts in the feeding patterns were noticed in both deforested sites. Invertebrates were replaced by detritus, organic matter and algae at both sites and feeding overlap increased markedly. The overwhelming feeding adaptability of these neotropical fishes appeared capable of buffering the deleterious effects of forest removal on stream quality in terms of increased light penetration, siltation and water turbidity. Forest cutting in this Mata Atlântica stream clearly caused strong functional changes associated with forest clearance through important modifications in the assemblage organization and trophic patterns of the main species, but did not eliminate species.

A decisão do predador de atacar ou não a presa é o resultado de uma atividade de procura e encontro, onde o tempo de procura e o respectivo gasto energético devem ser compensados através da energia contida na presa (GERKING 1994). Considerando que uma presa normalmente varia em abundância e disponibilidade, e que essas variáveis afetam o tempo de encontro, a "decisão" do predador deve levar em consideração a relação custo-benefício a fim de otimizar sua sobrevivência (WOOTTON 1998).A maioria das espécies de peixes é forrageadora seletiva com preferência por presas específicas (MITTELBACH & PERSSON 1998). Por outro lado, a ingestão de um tipo de presa depende de sua abundância no ambiente mas, quando esta presa não está disponível, os predadores podem satisfazer suas necessidades nutricionais e energéticas com outro tipo de presa que, normalmente, será selecionada pela qualidade (PINNEGAR et al. 2003).Em riachos de mata fechada a vegetação marginal deter- (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1908). Quantification of imported preys was done during May/2002 and February/2003 together with fish samples used for diet analysis. Feeding selectivity was established for Young and adult individuals according to prey size and taxonomical order. Ivlev Electivity Index (IEI) was applied for the abundance of consumed preys and their environmental availability. Homoptera (IEI = 0,94), Coleoptera (IEI = 0,57) and Diptera (IEI = 0,50) were preferred among adult individuals while Hemiptera (0,98), Diptera (0,60) and Homoptera (0,98) preferred among young individuals. Despite their high environmental availability Hymenoptera (IEI = -0,15; -0,42) and Orthoptera (IEI = -0,52; -1) were rejected among adult and young individuals, respectively, suggesting that they were eaten because their abundance. These results indicated that young and adult individuals of B. microcephalus presented quite different feeding preferences. KEY WORDS. Diet; selectivity; Rain Forest.RESUMO. O presente estudo foi desenvolvido no córrego Andorinha, localizado na vertente oriental da Ilha Grande, e teve como objetivo relacionar a disponibilidade de presas alóctones no ambiente e sua utilização como recurso alimentar para Bryconamericus microcephalus (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1908). No período de maio de 2002 a fevereiro de 2003 foram realizadas as coletas para a quantificação do material alóctone importado, sendo paralelamente realizadas coletas de indivíduos da espécie para análise da dieta. A seletividade da espécie, no que se refere a dieta, foi estabelecida com base no tamanho e tipo das presas consumidas, considerando jovens e adultos separadamente. O índice de eletividade de Ivlev (IEI) foi aplicado com base na abundância dos itens disponíveis no ambiente e dos itens ingeridos pela espécie. Homoptera (IEI = 0,94), Coleoptera (IEI = 0,57) e Diptera (IEI = 0,50) apresentam preferência na dieta dos adultos e Hemiptera (0,98), Diptera (0,60) e Homoptera (0,98) apresentam preferência na dieta dos jovens. Hymenoptera (IEI = -0,15; -0,42) e Orthoptera (IEI = -0,52; -1), apesar de es...

ABSTRACT. Feeding and ecomorphological patterns of stream-dwelling fishes from the upper Tocantins river, Goiás, Brazil. In the present study we aimed to compare ecomorphological and feeding data of 18 stream-dwelling fish species from the upper Tocantins river, in order to test if morphological patterns confirm the trophic ones and if they could be used as predictive characters in the analysis of the trophic structure of this community. Feeding analysis revealed a wide range of food items consumed by the fishes and allowed the recognition of three major trophic groups: carnivorous/insectivorous/piscivorous, omnivorous and detritivorous/herbivorous. Principal Component Analysis, based on the morphometric indices, organized the studied species according to head size, eye diameter, mouth position and body depth and allowed the recognition of two major ecomorphological groups. We concluded that the ecomorphological analysis efficiently described specific ecological characters, reflected feeding and habitat use preferences and could be used as trophic structure predictors of the studied community. KEYWORDS.Trophic ecology, stream-dwelling fishes, Amazon basin, allochthonous resources, autochthonous resources. RESUMO.No presente trabalho, comparamos a morfologia e o hábito alimentar de 18 espécies de peixes do alto rio Tocantins a fim de verificar se os padrões morfológicos obtidos para o conjunto das espécies estudadas corroboram os padrões tróficos e, portanto, se podem ser usados como caracteres preditivos da estrutura trófica da comunidade. A análise da dieta revelou ampla variedade de itens consumidos e distinção de três grandes grupos tróficos: espécies carnívoras/insetívoras/piscívoras, onívoras e herbívoras. A Análise dos Componentes Principais, baseada nos índices morfológicos, determinou a ordenação das espécies de acordo com tamanho da cabeça, diâmetro do olho, posição da boca e altura do corpo e permitiu a distinção de dois grandes grupos de espécies. Os grupos obtidos a partir dos índices morfológicos corroboram o padrão obtido a partir da análise da dieta das espécies. A análise ecomorfológica revelou-se uma ferramenta adequada na descrição de aspectos ecológicos das espécies estudadas, refletindo preferências alimentares e de uso do hábitat e pode ser usada como método preditivo da estrutura trófica da comunidade estudada. PALAVRAS-CHAVE.Ecologia trófica, peixes de riachos, bacia Amazônica, recursos alóctones, recursos autóctones.A relação entre morfologia e comportamento ecológico tem sido investigada em populações de diversos sistemas fluviais e comunidades de peixes (e.g.

No abstract

In the present study we aimed to compare the feeding ecology of Hypostomus punctatus from a coastal stream from Southeast Brazil with data previously published for the same study site before environmental changes. Feeding preferences were assessed through a sample of 138 specimens (67 from the dry and 71 from the rainy season) using the Index of Alimentary Importance (IA i ). We registered five different food items (detritus, plant fragments, Diatoms, Chloroficeae and Cianobacteries) composing the species diet. Detritus was the most abundant one both during the rainy and dry seasons (IA irainny = 90.34 and IA idry = 96.30). No significant differences were registered for the volume of food items consumed during the rainy and dry seasons. The Frequency of Occurrence analysis showed that four (detritus, plant fragments, Diatoms and Chloroficeae) among the five all other consumed ones, were always frequent. Comparing our own results with those available for the study site, we suggest that the feeding habit of H. punctatus has changed according to environmental changes and that the species diet is strongly dependent upon environmental conditions.Keywords: stream-dwelling fish, detritivorous, benthonic behaviour. Ecologia trófica de Hypostomus punctatus Valenciennes, 1840 (Osteichthyes, Loricariidae) de um riacho costeiro do sudeste do Brasil ResumoNo presente estudo, tivemos como objetivo comparar a ecologia trófica de Hypostomus punctatus de um riacho costeiro do sudeste do Brasil com dados previamente publicados para a mesma localidade deste estudo, antes que tenha sofrido alterações ambientais. As preferências alimentares foram analisadas através da análise de 138 exemplares (67 da estação seca e 71 da estação chuvosa), utilizando-se o Índice de Importância Alimentar (IA i ). Registramos cinco diferentes itens alimentares (detrito, fragmentos vegetais, Diatomáceas, Clorofíceas e Cianobactérias), compondo a dieta da espécie. Detrito foi o item mais abundante, tanto durante a estação chuvosa como durante a seca (IA ichuva = 90,34 e IA iseca = 96,30). Não foram registradas diferenças significativas entre o volume consumido de cada um dos itens na estação seca e chuvosa. A análise da frequência de ocorrência mostrou que quatro (detrito, fragmento vegetal, Diatomáceas e Clorofíceas) entre os cinco itens consumidos foram sempre frequentes. Comparando nossos resultados com aqueles previamente publicados, sugerimos que o hábito alimentar de H. punctatus mudou de acordo com as alterações ambientais e que sua dieta é fortemente dependente das condições ambientais.Palavras-chave: peixe de riacho, detritivoria, hábito bentônico.

We aimed to evaluate the relationship between form and function of two Loricariidae species (Hypostomus punctatus and Parotocinclus maculicauda) from a Neotropical coastal stream. We performed morphological-dietary analysis and discussed their coexistence strategies, as well. We hypothesized that both species use similar food resources according to their morphology but differences in habitat use facilitate their coexistence. In order to test this hypothesis, morphology, diet and habitat use were analyzed for both species. Trophic variance and the Pianka Niche Overlap index were calculated to explore the differences in trophic niche. Correlations between species abundance and water flow were applied to test habitat use. Principal Component Analysis and one Permutational Multivariate Analysis of Variance were applied to test differences between morphology and diet of both species. Morphological-dietary relationships were tested with Mantel test correlations. Total abundance of H. punctatus was higher in the stream channel with higher water flow. The dominant food items were sediment and organic matter for both species, and high trophic niche overlap was revealed. Additionally, morphology did not explain feeding habits for both species. Morphological characteristics were significantly different, especially for intestine length, relative area of the dorsal fin, ventral flattening and mouth attributes. The study site was rich in sand sediment, mud, and clay that are not considered good substrates to the establishment and growing of periphyton, which is an important trophic resource to Loricariidae species. Here, low consumption of periphyton can provide a possible explanation for the feeding similarity and the weak morphological-dietary relationships for both species. Thus, the environmental conditions can be more important for diet composition when compared to the similar and specialized morphology of loricariids.