Feeding patterns of the Neotropical cichlid, Australoheros acaroides (Hensel, 1870), in southern Brazil

Abstract

ABSTRACT We present detailed data on the feeding patterns of the Neotropical cichlid Australoheros acaroides (Hensel, 1870) in southern Brazil, focusing on three questions: (i) do feeding patterns vary according to the season or body size class of the species? (ii) are the niche breadth and intraspecific trophic overlap influenced by the season or the body size class? and (iii) how do feeding strategies and the fractional trophic level vary among seasons and body size classes? We analyzed 88 individuals and identified 27 different types of food item. A PERMANOVA identified significant variation in the composition of the diet among the seasons and body size classes. We detected a relatively narrow trophic niche, and a feeding strategy that varied in the relative use of resources among seasons and body size classes. Trophic overlap was relatively discreet among seasons and body size classes, however, and there was also little variation in the fractional trophic position of the species among seasons or size classes. These findings provide important insights into different aspects of the trophic relationships of A. acaroides in the subtropical region of southern Brazil, and resolve an important knowledge gap in its feeding ecology.