The opportunistic feeding and reproduction strategies of the annual fish Cynopoecilus melanotaenia (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) inhabiting ephemeral habitats on southern Brazil
Most Rivulidae fishes are popularly known as annual fishes which live in ephemeral environments such as pools, that obligatorily dry out seasonally causing the death of adult individuals. They have unique biological characteristics such as small body size, early sexual maturation, continuous reprodu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Sociedade Brasileira de Ictiologia
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| Series: | Neotropical Ichthyology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1679-62252011000100019&lng=en&tlng=en |
| _version_ | 1818417735855505408 |
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| author | Cristina da Silva Gonçalves Ursulla Pereira Souza Matheus Vieira Volcan |
| author_facet | Cristina da Silva Gonçalves Ursulla Pereira Souza Matheus Vieira Volcan |
| author_sort | Cristina da Silva Gonçalves |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Most Rivulidae fishes are popularly known as annual fishes which live in ephemeral environments such as pools, that obligatorily dry out seasonally causing the death of adult individuals. They have unique biological characteristics such as small body size, early sexual maturation, continuous reproduction, an elaborated courtship behavior, and a great reproductive capacity among fishes. The rivulids are widely distributed in North, Central and South America. In this study, the diet and reproductive biology of Cynopoecilus melanotaenia was analyzed. A total of 263 specimens were collected and the analysis of 233 gastrointestinal contents revealed an invertivorous diet composed mainly of small crustaceans (Cladocera, Amphipoda, and Ostracoda) and immature insects (Chaoboridae, Culicidae, Syrphidae, but mainly Chironomidae larvae). Lepidophagy on male's diet was also registered. Fecundity was estimated by analyzing 59 pairs of mature ovaries and ranged from 2 to 157 oocytes (mean, 19 ± 26[SD]). The species has fractional spawning, a strategy to increase the chance of survival to prolonged depletions. This study is the first to investigate the reproductive biology of C. melanotaenia. The results confirmed the opportunistic character of the rivulid C. melanotaenia and provided unreported reproductive information that may aid conservation of the species. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T12:11:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-064832dd7d584b6d81bfcd0f647ec4cb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1982-0224 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T12:11:31Z |
| publisher | Sociedade Brasileira de Ictiologia |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Neotropical Ichthyology |
| spelling | doaj.art-064832dd7d584b6d81bfcd0f647ec4cb2022-12-21T23:01:43ZengSociedade Brasileira de IctiologiaNeotropical Ichthyology1982-02249119120010.1590/S1679-62252011000100019S1679-62252011000100019The opportunistic feeding and reproduction strategies of the annual fish Cynopoecilus melanotaenia (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) inhabiting ephemeral habitats on southern BrazilCristina da Silva Gonçalves0Ursulla Pereira Souza1Matheus Vieira Volcan2Universidade Estadual PaulistaUniversidade Estadual PaulistaInstituto Pró-PampaMost Rivulidae fishes are popularly known as annual fishes which live in ephemeral environments such as pools, that obligatorily dry out seasonally causing the death of adult individuals. They have unique biological characteristics such as small body size, early sexual maturation, continuous reproduction, an elaborated courtship behavior, and a great reproductive capacity among fishes. The rivulids are widely distributed in North, Central and South America. In this study, the diet and reproductive biology of Cynopoecilus melanotaenia was analyzed. A total of 263 specimens were collected and the analysis of 233 gastrointestinal contents revealed an invertivorous diet composed mainly of small crustaceans (Cladocera, Amphipoda, and Ostracoda) and immature insects (Chaoboridae, Culicidae, Syrphidae, but mainly Chironomidae larvae). Lepidophagy on male's diet was also registered. Fecundity was estimated by analyzing 59 pairs of mature ovaries and ranged from 2 to 157 oocytes (mean, 19 ± 26[SD]). The species has fractional spawning, a strategy to increase the chance of survival to prolonged depletions. This study is the first to investigate the reproductive biology of C. melanotaenia. The results confirmed the opportunistic character of the rivulid C. melanotaenia and provided unreported reproductive information that may aid conservation of the species.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1679-62252011000100019&lng=en&tlng=enAplocheiloideiDietFecundityInvertivorousOpportunism |
| spellingShingle | Cristina da Silva Gonçalves Ursulla Pereira Souza Matheus Vieira Volcan The opportunistic feeding and reproduction strategies of the annual fish Cynopoecilus melanotaenia (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) inhabiting ephemeral habitats on southern Brazil Neotropical Ichthyology Aplocheiloidei Diet Fecundity Invertivorous Opportunism |
| title | The opportunistic feeding and reproduction strategies of the annual fish Cynopoecilus melanotaenia (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) inhabiting ephemeral habitats on southern Brazil |
| title_full | The opportunistic feeding and reproduction strategies of the annual fish Cynopoecilus melanotaenia (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) inhabiting ephemeral habitats on southern Brazil |
| title_fullStr | The opportunistic feeding and reproduction strategies of the annual fish Cynopoecilus melanotaenia (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) inhabiting ephemeral habitats on southern Brazil |
| title_full_unstemmed | The opportunistic feeding and reproduction strategies of the annual fish Cynopoecilus melanotaenia (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) inhabiting ephemeral habitats on southern Brazil |
| title_short | The opportunistic feeding and reproduction strategies of the annual fish Cynopoecilus melanotaenia (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) inhabiting ephemeral habitats on southern Brazil |
| title_sort | opportunistic feeding and reproduction strategies of the annual fish cynopoecilus melanotaenia cyprinodontiformes rivulidae inhabiting ephemeral habitats on southern brazil |
| topic | Aplocheiloidei Diet Fecundity Invertivorous Opportunism |
| url | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1679-62252011000100019&lng=en&tlng=en |
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