Feeding and ecomorphology of two species of piranhas (Characiformes: Characidae) from the Viana Lake, Maranhao state, Brazil

• Published in: Acta amazonica 2005-01, Vol.35 (1), p.63-70
• Main Authors: Piorski, N M, Alves, Jde RL, Machado, MRB, Correia, MMF
• Format: Article
• Language: eng ; por
• Subjects: Freshwater; Pygocentrus nattereri; Serrasalmus brandtii
• ISSN: 0044-5967

Serrasalmus aff. brandtii and pygocentrus nattereri are two species of piranhas, both common in the Viana Lake, which is formed by the flooding waters of the Pindare River; a tributary of the left bank of the Mearim River: A sample composed of 249 specimens of these was studied in order to identify diet composition and feeding strategies employed by the two species. The piranhas were captured thrimonthly, during one year from March 1998 to March 1999 using gill and fishing nets of different mesh sizes. The qualitative composition of the diet was analysed through the frequency of occurrence method. The feeding strategies employed by the piranhas were inferred using the graphic method of Costello (1990), modified by Amundsen et al. (1996). The results indicated that fish was the main food item in the stomach contents of the two species, followed by plant material, more in the P. nattereri. Fish and plant material showed different relationships in relation to piranhas's length classes. The graphic analysis of the feeding strategies employed by P. nattereri and S. aff. brandtii suggest a generalist habit, wide width niche with strong participation of the within-phenotype component, which indicated that the majority of individuals of these species use several resources simultaneously. A multivariate analysis of the ecomorphological index indicated that the species are discriminated by swimming ability, water column position and relative prey size.