FEEDING AND REPRODUCTIVE ASPECTS OF THE FISH Hypostomus pusarum (STARKS, 1913) (OSTEICHTHYES: LORICARIIDAE) IN MARECHAL DUTRA RESERVOIR, RIO GRANDE DO NORTE, BRAZIL

• Autor(a) principal: Pessoa, Emilly Kataline Rodrigues
• Data de Publicação: 2013
• Outros Autores: Lima, Louise Thuanne Barretto de, Chellappa, Naithirithi Tiruvenkatachary, Souza, Arrilton Araújo de, Chellappa, Sathyabama
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Biota Amazônia
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.unifap.br/index.php/biota/article/view/750

The armoured catfish, Hypostomus pusarum is of ecological and economical importance in the neotropical aquatic ecosystems. The present study verified the feeding and reproductive aspects of this species in Marechal Dutra reservoir, Rio Grande do Norte. Fish samples were captured during the period of July, 2011 to June, 2012 with the help local fishermen, who utilized gillnets and cast nets. The food items contained in the stomach of H. pusarum were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level. A total of 118 individuals of H. pusarum were captured, in the laboratory they were numbered, weighed, measured, dissected and the sex was identified. The sex ratio, length-weight relationship, stomach contents, gonadossomatic index (GSI), condition factor (K), fecundity and reproductive period of H. pusarum were verified. There was a predominance of females (n=67; 55,3%) over the males (n=51; 44,7%). H. pusarum presents a negative a type of growth (negative allometry) with a higher increase in total length than in body weight. The study species showed a diet based on decaying organic matter (88.7%) and microalgae (11.3%), consisting of Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta and Cyanobacteria, confirming a detritivore/herbivore food habit. The gonadossomatic index (GSI) of males varied from 0.483 to 7.502 and that of females from 3.408 to 10.533. The mean value of condition factor (K) of males was 0.089 and that of females was 0.266. The mean absolute fecundity was 756.85. The fish had gonads in different developmental stages throughout the study period, and the macroscopic characterization of the gonads indicated indicted four stages of development, immature, maturing, mature and spent. The reproductive period of H. pusarum during January to April was indicated by the peak of GSI.Keywords: Feeding; reproduction; Hypostomus pusarum; Marechal Dutra reservoir.