Diet description of Poecilia reticulata Peters, 1859 in two urban streams in Cascavel, Paraná Amanda Selinger, João Henrique Alliprandini da Costa, Rosilene Luciana Delariva

Abstract

Neotropical streams have heterogeneous habitats, which, once influenced by human pressure, are exposed to different physical and chemical conditions, directly affecting food resources. Therefore, the present study aimed to describe the diet of Poecilia reticulata in two urban streams. For this, fishes were collected using the electric fishing technique and their gastrointestinal contents were analyzed. The diet results showed predominance of organic detritus and aquatic macroinvertebrates, being mostly Diptera larvae. The presence of debris is related to the foraging habit of the species, while the predominance of Diptera larvae is related to the high degree of environmental degradation in these streams.