Feeding habits of the congeneric species Stellifer rastrifer and Stellifer brasiliensis (Acanthopterygii: Sciaenidae) co-occurring in the coast of the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to investigate the feeding habits allowing the occurrence of the congeneric species Stellifer rastrifer and Stellifer brasiensis, collected on a seasonal basis, in the operating area of the artisanal seabob-shrimp trawl fishery in Porto Belo, an important fishing area on the southern Brazilian coast. Fish were collected seasonally from November 2009 to August 2010, in isobaths of 10, 20 and 30m. Of the 450 stomachs analyzed, 194 belongd to Stellifer rastrifer and 242 to Stellifer brasiliensis. From the totality of analyzed stomachs 33.49% were empty and 66.52% had some content. Crustacea were the predominant food category in the diet of S. rastrifer and S. brasiliensis, and the shrimp Acetes americanus was the most frequent crustacean in stomachs of both studied species. The overlapping in the diet of the species was high, however when analyzing the overlap in each season it was found that it occurred only during spring and winter. Although the most important items in the diet of these species are the same, the intake of each alternates in time, suggesting a difference in predation pressure, which leads to less direct competition in a given time.Keywords: competition, fish diet, feeding overlap, shrimp fisheries, Stellifer. A sobreposição na dieta foi alta, porém a cada estação do ano, verificou-se que a sobreposição ocorreu apenas durante a primavera e o inverno. Embora os itens mais importantes na dieta destas espécies sejam os mesmos, o consumo de cada um é alternado no tempo, o que sugere uma diferença na pressão de predação, levando a uma menor competição direta em um determinado momento. Hábitos alimentares das espécies congêneresPalavras-chave: competição, dieta, sobreposição alimentar, pesca camaroeira, Stellifer.

Biological and ecological aspects of Bathygobius soporator (Valenciennes, 1837) (Perciformes, Gobiidae) from Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil

“…The stomachs were removed, weighed, and classified into five categories, according to a previously established scale, indicating the repletion degree: 1 = empty stomach, 2 = quarter-full stomach, 3 = half-full stomach, 4 = three quarters full stomach and 5 = full stomach (Sabinson et al, 2015). Contents were then removed with water and placed in Petri dishes.…”