Abstract
Following behaviour among Neotropical stream fishes have been scarcely reported. This type of feeding association was observed in a small stream in the upper rio Paraná system between the catfish, Aspidoras fuscoguttatus, acting as a nuclear species, and Knodus moenkhausii, Poecilia reticulata, and Astyanax altiparanae as follower species. Aspidoras fuscoguttatus individuals dug in the bottom during feeding, causing sediment suspension. Their followers picked food items in the "cloud" of suspended particles. Food items of sediment are no longer consumed by the catfish when in suspension, but are still available for K. moenkhausii, P. reticulata and A. altiparanae. Following behaviour is an alternative feeding tactic for these species, which reinforces the general idea of behavioural plasticity among follower species.
Highlights
A interação nuclear-seguidor tem sido raramente registrada entre peixes de riachos Neotropicais
Following behaviour among Neotropical stream fishes have been scarcely reported. This type of feeding association was observed in a small stream in the upper rio Paraná system between the catfish, Aspidoras fuscoguttatus, acting as a nuclear species, and Knodus moenkhausii, Poecilia reticulata, and Astyanax altiparanae as follower species
Aspidoras fuscoguttatus individuals dug in the bottom during feeding, causing sediment suspension
Summary
Following behaviour among Neotropical stream fishes have been scarcely reported This type of feeding association was observed in a small stream in the upper rio Paraná system between the catfish, Aspidoras fuscoguttatus, acting as a nuclear species, and Knodus moenkhausii, Poecilia reticulata, and Astyanax altiparanae as follower species. We recorded a feeding association among four fish species in a Neotropical stream, including the catfish Aspidoras fuscoguttatus Nijssen & Isbrücker, 1976 as nuclear species, the characins Astyanax altiparanae Garutti & Britski, 2000 and Knodus moenkhausii (Eigenmann & Kennedy, 1903) and the guppy Poecilia reticulata Peters, 1859 as follower species. Its clear waters enable fish observation from stream margins, and underwater observations were unnecessary
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