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It is well known that the establishment of invasive-fish populations depends on the ability of introduced individuals to adapt to environmental conditions in the invaded ecosystem, including the ability to feed on diverse, locally available prey resources. Furthermore, the current invasive-biology paradigm postulates that having a generalist-food habit is key to the successful invasion of a novel community by exotic species. This study investigated how the invasive pike killifish, Belonesox belizanus, has succeeded in establishing exotic populations in Florida, USA despite having a feeding apparatus that is characteristic of a specialized piscivore (i.e., fish-eating fish). Pike killifish collected from their point of introduction in south Florida were (1) filmed using high speed video while feeding on live fishand shrimp-prey to determine whether prey type affects prey-capture kinematics and then (2) subjected to a prey-selectivity experiment to determine which prey type (live fish or shrimp) the invasive pike killifish eats when both prey are available in the environment. Results indicated that (1) prey-capture kinematics were not affected by prey type, indicating that consumption of fish and shrimp prey was accomplished using a stereotypical feeding repertoire, and (2) pike killifish consumed fish and shrimp when both prey were available in the feeding environment. It is concluded that the invasive pike killifish has the ability to feed on alternative, locally available prey using its piscivorous feeding functional morphology and prey-capture kinematics. This study contributes a new perspective to our understanding of the mechanisms that underlie success of exotic fishes in invaded communities. That is, the ability of a functional-morphological specialist to utilize stereotypical prey-capture kinematics (= behavior) in consuming alternative, locally available prey types (= dietary flexibility) contributes to the establishment of invasive populations. It is evident that these functional specialists are not constrained in their diet, thus, enabling them dietary flexibility and enhancing their invasive potential.

Dietary flexibility despite behavioral stereotypy contributes to successful invasion of the pike killifish, Belonesox belizanus, in Florida, USA