Alimentación de Pseudocorynopoma doriai (Pisces: Characidae) en el arroyo El Portugués, provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina

Abstract

Feeding of Pseudocorynopoma doriai (Pisces: Characidae) in “El Portugués” stream,
Buenos Aires province, Argentina. We describe the diet of dragonfin tetra, Pseudocorynopoma doriai, in the
El Portugués stream (58° 26’ 30’’ S - 35° 04’ 24’’ W) belonging to the high Samborombón river basin, Buenos
Aires province. To achieve this aim, samples were taken monthly from May 2004 until April 2005. The methods
used for the analysis of stomach contents were, frequency, volumetric percentage, numerical percentage and index
of relative importance (IRI). The results obtained indicate a diet with no significant differences throughout
the year, consisting mainly of aquatic insects, allochthonous insects and spiders. The analysis shows that while
there were no significant differences in diet at differents range length of this species, individuals less than 42
mm standard length, consumed a greater number of insects of terrestrial origin. The results allow to characterize
Pseudocorynopoma doriai as a generalist insectivorous species for this stream of Pampasia.