Diet of two species of Characidae in streams of Alto Paranapanema basin Ingrid Hernandez Neubauer, Mauricio Cetra, Ursulla Pereira Souza

Abstract

This study investigated the diet of two species of Characids, Characidae, Astyanax scabripinnis and Astyanax bockmanni. The samples were captured, with an electric fishing device, from June to November of 2014, at Alto Paranapanema basin, between the states of São Paulo and Paraná. The fish were collected in 13 sites of first to third headwater streams. Fish diet was recorded by the “Feeding Preference Degree” (FPD), the content of 15 stomachs of each species were analyzed. The composition of food consumed showed 21 different items intake in their diets; however, the main items were insect immature stages of development. Most of the items were classified as the occasional degree and therefore, stating the generalist and opportunist characteristics of these species. In the Alto Paranapanema basin A. scabripinnis and A. bockmanni demonstrated an omnivore diet with a tendency to insectivore.