Abstract

GARCIA-CARDONA, Evelin; MOLINA, Andrés  and  DUQUE, Guillermo. Trophic habits of the flounder Citharichthys gilberti (Paralichthyidae) and its spatiotemporal variability in Buenaventura Bay, Colombian Pacific. Bol. Invest. Mar. Cost. [online]. 2021, vol.50, n.2, pp.133-150.  Epub Dec 03, 2021. ISSN 0122-9761.  https://doi.org/10.25268/bimc.invemar.2021.50.2.1078.

Fishes belonging to the order Pleuronectiformes, are flattened and inhabit estuarine bottoms. They are important because they provide an energy exchange between the demersal habitat and the water column, reflecting the effects of environmental variations in the ecosystem and the dynamics of trophic relation between species. This research evaluates the influence that some space-time variations have on the diet of Citharichthys gilberti in Buenaventura Bay. 92 stomachs corresponding to sites with different environmental characteristics within the Bay were examined. Feeding indices were determined to make a trophic characterization and evaluate the interactions between trophic habits and environmental variables. The prey with the highest relative importance in the diet of C. gilberti were crustaceans and fish. The consumption of crustaceans was higher in the dry season and in the external zone, being significantly influenced by variations in pH and transparency. On the other hand, fish consumption was constant throughout the year, regardless of environmental variations. It was possible to determine that C. gilberti is a generalist carnivore, opportunistic according to the availability of food, with adaptability to the environment and that it can present intraspecific competition with other consumers of crustaceans.

Keywords : flatfishes; estuaries; foodhabits; environmental factors..

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