SEXUAL DIMORPHISM AND DIET OF A THREATENED SPECIES SCLEROMYSTAX MACROPTERUS IN A BLACKWATER STREAM FROM THE COAST OF SÃO PAULO

Abstract

Blackwater streams harbor fish communities composed of species with morphological and physiological adaptations to these environments. This study analyzed the sexual dimorphism and diet of Scleromystax macropterus, a threatened species endemic to blackwater streams in southeastern Brazil. Analyses revealed sexual dimorphism, particularly in the relative proportions of the pectoral and caudal fins, and a diet predominantly composed of insects and sand, the latter indicating substrate foraging, as previously reported for other species of the same family