Abstract

HERRERA-MADRID, Mauricio; VERA, Dany  and  VALDIVIEZO-RIVERA, Jonathan. Diet of Grundulus quitoensis (Characiformes: Characidae) an endemic species of the El Angel Biological Reserve, Carchi, Ecuador. Caldasia [online]. 2020, vol.42, n.2, pp.181-187. ISSN 0366-5232.  https://doi.org/10.15446/caldasia.v42n2.76825.

The studies on feeding habits of aquatic communities help to understand how these interact and considering that the paramo fish have been poorly studied, the diet of Grundulus quitoensis, an endemic fish species from the Andes of Ecuador was analyzed contributing to understand its trophic ecology. The stomach content of 26 specimens from El Voladero lagoon was analyzed. Twelve prey categories were identified, of which the genus Bosmina (Crustacea: Cladocera) (Ni = 2410; Fo = 22) and entities of the family Chiro-nomidae (Insecta: Diptera) (Ni = 466; Fo = 46) present the greater abundance. The allometric condition factor (K) obtained values that varied between 0.11-0.77, meaning that the specimens were in low feeding conditions. Although the diet of this species is extensive, it consumes insects and microcrustaceans in great quantity. It is necessary to preserve the El Voladero lagoon to protect its unique biodiversity.

Keywords : Food preference; paramo fish; prey categories; stomach content.

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