Abstract

MAYOR-VICTORIA, Rosemary  and  BOTERO-BOTERO, Alvaro. DIET OF THE NEOTROPICAL OTTER Lontra Longicaudis (Carnivora, Mustelidae) IN THE ROBLE RIVER, UPPER CAUCA BASIN, COLOMBIA. Acta biol.Colomb. [online]. 2010, vol.15, n.1, pp.237-244. ISSN 0120-548X.

The diet of Neotropical otters was studied at Roble river, a tributary of La Vieja river, Upper Cauca basin, Colombia . From August 2006 to March 2007 otter scats were collected twice per month using plastic bags, from the lower stretch of the Roble river. In the laboratory, the scats were washed, sieved and items were identified by comparing them with a reference collection. Fourteen food categories were recognized. Ranked by frequency of occurrence, benthic sucker-mouthed catfish were the favored food items, especially Chaetostoma sp (22,6 %) followed by Hypostomus sp. (9,55%) and Ancistrus sp. (8,54%). Other species of fish eaten by the otters are: Apteronotus sp. (11,6 %), Brycon henni (9,86 %), Lebiasina sp. (0,70%), y Rhamdia sp. (9,15 %); (Family Loricariidae)., followed by insects Corydalus sp (9%) (Family Corydalidae). The lowest frequency observed was for lizards, Basiliscus sp. (family Corytophanidae). Significant diet differences were found between the wet and dry seasons of the year (Rs= 0.429; n= 11 p=0.00001)

Keywords : Upper Cauca basin; La Vieja river; Neotropical otter; Ecology.

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