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Feeding of Acestrorhynchus lacustris (Characidae): a post impoundment studies on Itaipu reservoir, upper Paraná River, PR

With objective to know feeding spectrum of Acestrorhynchus lacustris (Reinhardt, 1874), a middle size predator in different places of influence area of Itaipu reservoir, stomach contents were analyzed. Samples were collected from March 1984 to February 1989 from Itaipu Reservoir and its adjacent areas. Its fed mainly on fishes, but it was an opportunistic (consumed 17 species of prey). Despite of the wide feeding spectrum, few preys were dominant in the diet, according to the different habitats sampled. As a result, it significant spatial differences in the diet was observed. Was observed through "Detrented Correspondence Analysis" (DCA) these were divided into three groups in relation with diet: preys from upstream, with higher scores; preys from the reservoir, with intermediate scores; and preys from a tributary with smaller scores. This discrimination may be a function of prey availability in each habitat. The mean size of preys consumed increased with the size of the predator, as well as the variance, i. e. the largest fish also consumed small preys.

Feeding; Predation; Characidae; Upper Paraná River; Itaipu Reservoir


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