Seasonal Dynamics of Feeding Habits of a Cyprinid Fish, Saurogobio dabryi in the Downstream of the Jialing River, China
Seasonal Dynamics of Feeding Habits of a Cyprinid Fish, Saurogobio dabryi in the Downstream of the Jialing River, China
J. Ma1, F.B. Zhang1,2, J. Li1, Z.Y. Lv1, C. Zhang1, L. Mao1 and Y. Zeng1*
ABSTRACT
This research studied the food composition and feeding rhythm of Saurogobio dabryi in the lower reaches of the Jialing River, aimed to explore the seasonal difference of its feeding habits. Gut contents of 268 S. dabryi in the downstream (Hechuan section) of the Jialing River were collected seasonally from September 2015 to August 2016. The feeding habits of S. dabryi were studied by microscopic examination, analysis of similarity, and the Amundsen graphical method. A total of 26 food categories were identified, among which algae and organic detritus were the dominant food source for S. dabryi. Animal prey contributed relatively low proportions to the food of S. dabryi. Seasonal variations of food composition of S. dabryi were significant (P<0.05). Hierarchical cluster analysis shows that the food composition in autumn was significantly different from other seasons at a similarity level of 60%. The results indicated that the feeding rhythm of the S. dairyi in the lower reaches of the Jialing River showed significant seasonal changes (P<0.05); The feeding intensity and food amount gradually increased from spring to winter, which may be related to the morphological structure, breeding period, special habitat, and seasonal changes of biological prey of S. dabryi.
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