- Title
- Dietary tracers and stomach contents reveal pronounced alimentary flexibility in the freshwater mullet (Myxus capensis, Mugilidae) concomitant with ontogenetic shifts in habitat use and seasonal food availability
- Creator
- Carassou, Laure, Whitfield, Alan K, Moyo, Sydney, Richoux, Nicole B
- Subject
- To be catalogued
- Date
- 2017
- Type
- text
- Type
- article
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10962/456201
- Identifier
- vital:75493
- Identifier
- xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-017-3230-3"
- Description
- We investigated ontogenetic and seasonal variations in the diet of the freshwater mullet (Myxus capensis) across a river–estuary interface using dietary tracer (stable isotopes and fatty acids) and stomach content analyses. Two hypotheses were tested: (A) the freshwater mullet diet shifts as individuals grow and migrate from the estuary to the river, and (B) the dominant food resources utilized by freshwater mullet vary through time, mainly as a function of the seasonal changes in the availability of preferred food items in each habitat. Both hypotheses were supported, as our results indicated broad dietary flexibility by M. capensis, with utilized food items ranging from benthic microalgae to insects depending on habitat and seasonal patterns in availability of resources. Given the unexpected importance of invertebrate-derived prey, including some of terrestrial origin (i.e. aerial or semi-aquatic insects), during the freshwater phase of the M. capensis life cycle, we also emphasize a need for a re-assessment of the trophic designation of this species (previously designated as a strict detritivore).
- Format
- computer, online resource, application/pdf, 1 online resource (22 pages), pdf
- Publisher
- SpringerLink
- Language
- English
- Relation
- Hydrobiologia, Carassou, L., Whitfield, A.K., Moyo, S. and Richoux, N.B., 2017. Dietary tracers and stomach contents reveal pronounced alimentary flexibility in the freshwater mullet (Myxus capensis, Mugilidae) concomitant with ontogenetic shifts in habitat use and seasonal food availability. Hydrobiologia, 799, pp.327-348, Hydrobiologia volume 799 p. 327 2017 0044-8486
- Rights
- Publisher
- Rights
- Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the SpringerLink Terms of Use Statement ( https://link.springer.com/termsandconditions)
- Rights
- Closed Access
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- Visitors: 57
- Downloads: 3
Collections
Richoux, Nicole Bertine (Assoc Prof)
RU South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB)
SDG 15. Life On Land
RU Department of Zoology and Entomology
SDG 14. Life Below Water
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