Dieta e ecomorfologia de Hoplias aff. Malabaricus (Bloch, 1794) (Characiformes) em açudes do semiárido nordestino localizados no município de Aurora – CE, Brasil.

Abstract

Diet and ecomorphology of Hoplias malabaricus (Bloch, 1794) (Characiformes) on semiarid reservoirs located in Aurora, CE, northeastern Brazil. The trahira Hoplias malabaricus is a common native fish in freshwater environments of Brazil. The present study was conducted in a semiarid zone of northeastern Brazil, where aquatic environments are subject to major pluviometric fluctuations due to extensive drought periods. The aim of the present study was to investigate feeding preferences of H. malabaricus based on stomach content analyses and distinguish ecomorphological patterns from individuals sampled on Santa Barbara, Grossos and Tipi reservoirs, all located in Aurora, CE, northeastern Brazil. Fishes were sampled using 35 m-long gillnets with 6 cm mesh size. Stomach content analyses revealed a clear preference for shrimps. Based on the available literature, H. malabaricus individuals are able to shift their diet from strict piscivory to aquatic invertebrates in the presence of potential competitors. This shift may also explain the observed pattern in the present study, given the occurrence of potential sympatric competitors on all reservoirs, thus rendering shrimps as an important food item for the local H. malabaricus individuals. Ecomorphological attributes were somewhat distinct from those of previous studies, but morphological patterns related to habitat use and feeding behavior were observed.