Feeding biology of Aplocheilichthys normani, Ahl, a small Cyprinodontidae from West Africa

Aplocheilichthys normani is a small Cyprinodontidae endemic in tropical Africa from Senegal to central Sudan. Analysis of the gut content of two populations from Guinea reveals that it feeds mainly on small crustaceans and chironomid larvae. Experimental investigations into its predatory capacity vis‐á‐vis the larvae of Aedes aegypti show that there is a significant difference between the daily feeding rates in adult versus subadult specimens. Moreover, significant 24 h variations were also observed. The feeding rate is also related to the stage of the larvae, i.e. the predatory capacity is greater for smaller prey. The 24h feeding rate variations show that A. normani feeds both during the daylight hours and at night, with a slightly higher predatory activity during the daylight hours. The peak in feeding activity occurs during the two hours before dark. Tests on feeding preferences show that the fish prefers, in descending order, Aedes, Anopheles and Culex larvae. Its larvivorous activity against mosquito larvae was corroborated by small‐scale field studies. We propose that this species be considered for possible use in the biological control of mosquito larvae in West Africa.