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Diet Comparison in Three Species of Distichodus Müller & Troschel

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Diet Comparison in Three Species of Distichodus Müller & Troschel Available online at http://ajol.info/index.php/ijbcs Int. J. Biol. Chem. Sci. 4(1): 145-157, February 2010 ISSN 1991-8631 Original Paper http://indexmedicus.afro.who.int Diet comparison in three species of Distichodus Müller & Troschel, 1845 (Distichodontidae, Pisces) of Pool Malebo, Congo River (Democratic Republic of Congo) Victorine MBADU ZEBE 1* , Bekeli MBOMBA NSEU 1 and Jean-Claude MICHA 2 1 University of Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Faculty of Science, Kinshasa, R.D. Congo. 2 Facultés Universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix (FUNDP) URBO, rue de Bruxelles, 61 B-5000 Namur, Belgique. * Corresponding author, E-mail: [email protected] : Tel: +24398846427 ABSTRACT The diet of Distichodus antonii , D. affinis and D. lusosso was studied in Malebo Pool (Congo River, Kinshasa, D.R. Congo) through the analysis of 396 stomach contents in relation to the size of fish and the hydrological seasons. The Index of preponderance (% Ip) was calculated. The analysis of the preponderance index (Ip) showed that D. antonii and D. affinis are herbivorous. D. antonii feeds mainly on leaves and stems of Echinochloa pyramidalis , while D. affinis consumes in addition roots and detritus. Periphyton was regularly found in the stomach contents of the three species. During the two hydrological seasons, a significant overlap of diet was observed between all the sizes of D. affinis and D. antonii. In D. lusosso, overlap of diet was not observed. Distichdus lusosso is generalist; its food is composed of detritus, animal preys such as fishes, shrimps, crabs, nymphs and larvae of insects, molluscs. This study shows that D. lusosso takes advantage of diversified food items compared with D. antonii and D. affinis . These dietary strategies developed by theses three species contribute probably to their coexistence in Pool Malebo. © 2010 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved. Keywords: Food and feeding, Distichodus species , fish size, competition, D. R. Congo. INTRODUCTION inhabited by water plant communities where Distichodus antonii Schilthuis, 1891, they extract their food. D. affinis Günther, 1873 and D. lusosso They are considered by some authors as Schilthuis, 1891 are Characiformes fishes fishes adapted to a phytophagous diet (Durand endemic to African freshwater. They belong and Lévêque, 1981). However, Lauzanne to the Distichondotidae family. Several (1988) declared that they can, depending of species of Distichodontidae are known from environmental conditions, become the Congo River basin (Boulenger, 1909; omnivorous or detritivorous. Daget and Gosse, 1984). The present knowledge on Distichodus In this family, Distichodus genus genus diet is very fragmented and scarce. represents the single one that shows a major Indeed, the available dietary data on economic interest. Distichodus are only about Distichodus These fishes are found in shallow as species of Nile basin: D. niloticus Linnaeus, well as deep water (Lowe-McConnell, 1987) 1762 (Hickley and Bailey, 1986), and about © 2010 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved. V. MBADU ZEBE et al. / Int. J. Biol. Chem. Sci. 4(1): 145-157, 2010 species of lake Tchad: D. rostratus Günther, The rainfall is unequally distributed 1864 and D. engycephalus Günther, 1864 over the year. For the period from 1990 to (Lauzanne, 1972). However, diet is very 2006, july is the driest month with a average important in the growth and the reproduction rainfall of 0.85 mm while november is the of species. wettest with a average rainfall of 258.7 mm In addition, diet study provides baseline (Mettelsat station: Ndjili / Kinshasa). scientific data for any investigation for Many plant associations are found at ichthyologic biodiversity conservation and for Malebo Pool as Pistia stratiotes L., Salvinia better and sustainable exploitation. molesta L., Eichhornia crassipes M. & S., The present study is dedicated to the Echinochloa pyramidalis (L.) H. & C., analysis of diet through the examination of Ludwigia abyssinica A. R., Ipomoea aquatica stomach contents of Distichodus antonii, D. F., Oryza barthii A. C. affinis and D. lusosso from Malebo Pool The periphyton, identified by an (Congo River, Kinshasa, D.R. Congo). The undergoing study, is constituted by aim is to identify, quantify and compare their Bacillariophyceae, Chlorophyta, Eugleno- diet and to investigate dietary changes. This phyta, Cyanophyta, Dinophyceae and will allow to precise their trophic level in Rhodophyta. relation to fish size and the hydrological seasons. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fish sampling Study area The study was carried out from january The Malebo Pool (Figure 1) is an 2005 to october 2007 at Kinkole station: enlargement of the Congo River abreast of 4°16’32,4” S-15°30’39,2”E. Kinshasa and Brazzaville towns. It is located Distichodus fishing was undertaken between the coordinates 4°05’ to 4°18’S and mainly with two batteries of gill nets of 10 15°19’ to 15°32’ E.O. at a mean altitude of mm, 15 mm, 25 mm, 35 mm and 50 mm 272 m.; its area is about 500 km 2. This zone stretched mesh sizes; each gill net was 2 m belongs to the Aw 4 climate type (Bultot and high and 30 m wide. Griffits, 1971) characterized by: temperature The gill nets were immersed between > 18 °C, high rainfall, four months of dry 5:00 pm to 5:00 pm on the next day, near the season. The substratum is muddy or muddy grassy banks. Thus, we had a cycle of 24 sandy. Malebo Pool is characterized by slow- hours. But especially for the diet study, running and turbid water. For the thirty last samples of fish were collected after each three years, the current speed was 0.8 m.s -1 and the hours of nets’ immersion. depth varies between 3 m in july - august to After capture, fishes were identified 10 m in november- december (Burgis and according to (Boulenger, 1909; Daget and Symoens, 1987). The mean flow of Congo Gosse, 1984) and according to a new key River in Kinshasa is estimated at 40000 m3.s -1. (Mbadu and Vreven, unpublished data); the (Technical data from the Congolese office of following parameters were recorded: weight waterway “Régie des Voies to nearest 1 g, total length and standard length fluviales « RVF »”). with a calliper to the nearest 0.1 mm for the At Malebo Pool, Congo River water is small individuals and a rule graduated to slightly mineralised, the conductivity varied nearest 1 mm for the biggest specimens. The between 20 and 31 µS.cm -1, the pH between small fishes were kept in a 4% formalin 5.2 and 6.7; the dissolved oxygen between 7.7 solution before dissection while for the mg.l-1 and 9.1 mg.l -1 and the water biggest ones, after dissection at the site, only temperature is between 17.1°C and 31.5 °C the stomach contents were kept in the (Burgis and Symoens, 1987). formalin solution. 146 V. MBADU ZEBE et al. / Int. J. Biol. Chem. Sci. 4(1): 145-157, 2010 Figure 1: Map of Pool Malebo (Modified, according to Burgis and Symoens, 1987). = Study station. The intestinal length was also recorded Petri dish squared each 1 cm. We counted to calculate the intestinal coefficient which is preys in five square centimetres and the result the ratio between the intestinal length (mm) has been extended to the whole surface of the and the standard length (mm). box. Plant preys were identified by using the Stomach contents data records of the laboratory of plant biology Stomachs were drained on an absorbent at the faculty of sciences of the University of paper, weighed and dissected. The stomach Kinshasa. envelope was then weighed to nearest 0.0001 The invertebrates were identified g in order to have the weight of stomach according to Durand and Lévêque (1981). contents. The stomach content volume was A small quantity of stomach content estimated by measuring the increasing of the has been diluted in 2 ml (small contents) or 10 displacement of a water column in a graduated ml (large contents) of a formalin solution at 4 tube. % for the microscopic fraction analysis. The For each stomach content, we separated dilution depends on the sample size and the two fractions: the macroscopic and the wealth of the specific diversity can change microscopic fractions. with the dilutions (Hasle, 1978). The macroscopic fraction of the For the analysis, 0.5 ml of the dilution stomach contents had been classified, was examined under an inversion LEICA- identified and counted under a NIKON hand DMIL microscope (12.5 X 40). This lens with a magnification of 10 to 50X. microscope is provided with a Bürker cell; the The preys in small quantities were morphological structures of preys become entirely counted while for the most abundant well visible and make easier their preys, we used the under sampling method. identification. The preys, diluted in water, were spread in a 147 V. MBADU ZEBE et al. / Int. J. Biol. Chem. Sci. 4(1): 145-157, 2010 Since it is hard to examine the entire Diet overlap of fish species or different fish Bürker cell, we used the methods sizes of the same species allows to explain the recommended by Utermöhl (1958) cited by structure of the communities or to assess the Hasle (1978) and we applied the method of competitive relations. (Wallace, 1981 cited by under sampling (Plisnier, 1990, Mukankomeje Doumbia, 2003). et al., 1994). The observed result is then Many indexes are used to determine the multiplied by a correcting factor which, rate of diets overlap; we used the Schoëner according to Plisnier (1990), is found by Index such as it is recommended by Wallace dividing the diluted stomach content volume (1981), Linton et al. (1981) and Hurlbert (2 ml) by the examined volume (0.5 ml). (1978) cited by Doumbia (2003).
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