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This study addressed the feeding ecology of fish fauna from a first-order stream located in a rural area. The purposes were to evaluate the influence of interspecific, seasonal and spatial factors on the diet, examine the dietary overlap, and determine the predominant food sources. Sampling was conducted in December 2007, September 2008, and March 2009, in three 50-m stretches of Itiz stream (upstream, intermediate, and downstream), through electrofishing. A total of 1,102 stomach contents were analyzed from 14 species, by the volumetric method. In general, allochthonous resources were predominant in the diets. Astyanax aff. fasciatus, Astyanax aff. paranae, Astyanax bockmanni, and Bryconamericus aff. iheringi consumed a higher proportion of plant remains, and Bryconamericus stramineus consumed predominantly Hymenoptera. The diets of Cetopsorhamdia iheringi, Characidium aff. zebra, Imparfinis schubarti, and Trichomycterus sp. consisted of aquatic insects, especially immature forms of Trichoptera, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Diptera. Hypostomus ancistroides, Hisonotus sp., Poecilia reticulata, and Rineloricaria aff. pentamaculata exploited mainly detritus, while Rhamdia quelen used a variety of items, predominantly terrestrial insects. Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) showed a clear distinction among the species, with different morphology and feeding tactics. The Multi-Response Permutation Procedure (MRPP) supported this differentiation, and also indicated significant spatial and temporal variations in the dietary composition; the Indicator Value Method (IndVal) indicated the main items that contributed to these differences. The diet overlap among species was low (< 0.4) to around 78% of pairs, and the mean value did not vary significantly among the sites or between hydrological periods within each site. According to the null model of Pianka's index, the values for dietary overlap were significantly higher than expected at random, showing evidence of resource sharing. This was related to the availability of allochthonous resources, highlighting the importance of riparian vegetation as a source of these resources for maintaining the fish fauna of the stream.Este estudo abordou a ecologia alimentar da ictiofauna de um riacho de primeira ordem situado em área rural. Os objetivos foram verificar a influência dos fatores interespecíficos, sazonais e espaciais sobre a dieta, avaliar a sobreposição alimentar, além de determinar os recursos alimentares predominantes. As amostragens foram realizadas em dezembro/2007, setembro/ 2008 e março/2009, em três pontos do riacho Itiz (montante, intermediário e foz) com extensões de 50 m, através de pesca elétrica. Foram analisados 1102 conteúdos estomacais referentes a 14 espécies de acordo com o método volumétrico. De forma geral observou-se que a maior contribuição na dieta das espécies foi de recursos alóctones. Astyanax aff. fasciatus, Astyanax aff. paranae, Astyanax bockmanni, Bryconamericus aff. iheringi, consumiram maior proporção de vegetal e Bryconamericus stram...

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This study focused on intra and interspecific variations in the diet of small species in the Pelotas River, upper Uruguay River ecoregion. We tested the hypothesis that five small characids coexist via resource partitioning. Samplings were performed quarterly between August 2013 and May 2014 at 14 sites in the Pelotas River basin, using gillnets of different mesh sizes, seines, cast nets and electrofishing. In this study, the contents of 1,253 stomachs were analysed from Astyanax dissensus, A. paris, A. saguazu, A. xiru and Bryconamericus patriciae. The main food resources consumed were aquatic insects, leaves, seeds and detritus. There were significant seasonal intra and interspecific variations in the use of food resources by the five species. Permutational analysis of multivariate dispersions results indicated significant differences in individual intraspecific variability between the sampled periods, with the highest values found in November and February because of an increase in allochthonous resources (leaves and seeds). Besides this, significant differences in the proportions of consumption of allochthonous and autochthonous were observed. The trophic niche breadth was significantly different among the species, such that in August, the species had narrower niche breadths. In the other periods, the highest niche breadth values were due to an increase in the consumption of allochthonous items. Diet overlap was low (< 0.4) between 62% of the species pairs. The small characid species showed pronounced changes in resource use and intra and interspecific variations indicating resource partitioning. These factors appear to be essential in species interactions and for coexistence.

Itiz Stream is a first order tributary of the Ivaí River basin, located in a rural area of Marialva municipality, Paraná state. Fish were sampled in October, November and December 2007, September 2008 and March 2009, using electrofishing and a sieve technique in three stretches along the stream. We collected 20 species belonging to 13 genera, seven families and three orders. Only Poecilia reticulata was considered non-native species and five are probably undescribed.

The Perobas Biological Reserve is a Conservation Unit characterized by two physiognomies of the Atlantic Forest: Semideciduous Seasonal Forest and Mixed Ombrophilous Forest. The reserve is situated on a ridge watershed between the basins of the Piquiri and Ivaí rivers, Upper Paraná River and had its fish fauna surveyed for the first time. Fishes were collected quarterly from December 2010 to March 2012, using electrofishing in five stretches of 50 m along the four streams, and gillnets only at one site in December, 2010. A total of 2628 individual were collected, belonging to 34 species in 25 genera, 13 families and six orders. Ten taxa may be new species or part of a complex of species within each genus, and requiring more detailed taxonomic revisions. Nine species are the first records for the Piquiri river basin.

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Aim: This study uses the abundance of fish eggs and larvae to evaluate the importance of the main channel of the Paraná River and the adjacent areas of the floodplain, in the last dam-free stretch in the Brazilian territory, for the spawning and development of fish of different reproductive guilds, in order to obtain subsidies to assist in the management and conservation policies of this area, focusing on the maintenance of dam-free areas. Methods: Data were taken quarterly from August 2013 to May 2015, in 25 sites, grouped into three biotopes: main channel, tributaries and lagoons. Possible spatial variations in fish spawning and development as well as composition and structure of larvae were evaluated. Results: Higher densities of eggs were found in tributaries (Paracaí and Amambai rivers) and greater densities of larvae were observed in lagoons (Saraiva). Significant differences in composition and structure of larvae were detected only between sampling stations. As for taxonomic composition, 29 taxa were recorded, mostly non-migratory. However, long-distance migratory were also widely distributed, such as Brycon orbignyanus, Pseudoplatystoma corruscans, Prochilodus lineatus, Piaractus mesopotamicus and Rhaphiodon vulpinus, as well as invasive species Platanichthys platana and Hemiodus orthonops. In turn, Salminus brasiliensis presented low occurrence. Conclusions: This study evidenced that different species spawn in the region, mainly in tributaries, and their eggs and larvae are transported to the main channel of the Paraná River and adjacent lagoons, to complete their early development. The capture of larvae of important migratory species suggests that this environment still exhibits suitable conditions for their reproduction, mainly due to the presence of dam-free tributaries. Also, they emphasize the importance of the integrity of these environments for the maintenance of the regional fish fauna, and it is extremely important the monitoring of reproduction of the most endangered species, as well as of invasive species.