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Eco‐morphological attributes and feeding habits in coexisting characins
Author(s) -
Portella T.,
LobónCerviá J.,
Manna L. R.,
Bergallo H. G.,
Mazzoni R.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/jfb.13162
Subject(s) - characidae , biology , streams , ecology , rainforest , zoology , characiformes , preference , fishery , fish <actinopterygii> , computer network , computer science , economics , microeconomics
The head morphology and feeding habits of pairs of characin species (family Characidae) that coexist in four different coastal rainforest streams were analysed. Coexisting species differed in size, but were very similar in eco‐morphological attributes. Gut analyses revealed differences in feeding preferences for each coexisting species, indicating resource partitioning. A pattern of organization in species pairs that was repeated in the four studied streams was noticed. The pattern consisted of one slightly larger species with a feeding preference for items of allochthonous origin and another smaller species with a preference for autochthonous items. The hypothesis that small morphological differences enable the current coexistence of those species pairs was proposed. Furthermore, the results show ecological equivalence among different species in the studied streams.