Rev. Biol. Trop. 46(4): 951-959, 1998 www.ucr.ac.cr Www.ots.ac.cr www.ots.duke.edu Habita! use and food partitioning of the fishes in a coastal stream of Atlantic Forest, Brazil J. M. R. Aranha, D. F. Takeuti & T. M. Yoshimura Depto Zoologia, Setor de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Paraná, CP 19.020, CEP 81531-990, Curitiba, Brasil. Fax: 55 (041)266-2042, E-mail:
[email protected] Received 5-II-1998. Corrected22-VI-1998. Accepted 13-VIII-1998. Abstrad: We analysed the fish assemblage in the "Mergulhiio"stream (soulhem Brazil) with underwater obser vations for habitat use, considering water depth, current velocity, bottom type, shadow froID vegetation cover, distance of stream-edge, and vertical position. Stomach contents or foregut content samples of the most abun dant species were collected from 26 species (lO families). The fish assemblage occupied the bottom stream. The similarity analysis of spalía! occupation ofspecies grouped four habitat use guilds: A) "Iambaris" (Aslyanaxsp. and Deutetodonlangei), Characidium spp. (C. lane; and C. plerosliclum) and Rineloricaria kronei used thebot tom in deep sites and waters with middle current; B) Pimelodella pappenheimi and Corydoras barbalusused the bottom in siles with JOwer cUI'l"ént; C) Mimagoniates microlepis used the surface of the water column; and D) Phalloceros caudimacullUus used shallow sítes and waters without current. Species with few records were analysed descriptively. Diet similarity suggested seventrophic guilds: Microglanis sp. and PiTMIodellapappen heimi: omnivorouslca:mivorous gui14; Corydoras barbatus: omnivorous/insectivorous guild; Characidium [ane;: aquatic insectivorous guild, Ilillinly aquatic insects; Mimagoniates microlepis: terrestriál insectivorous guild, mainly te.rrestrial insects; Deuterodon [angei and ASlyanax sp.: omnivorous/herbivorous guild; Rineloricaria kronei, Kronichth.yssubteres, Schizolecis guntheri.