Temporal and spatial variation in diet Trachelyopterus galeatus (Siluriformes, Auchenipteridae) in two reservoirs in the semi-arid Neotropical

ABSTRACT Fish feeding provides data for discussion of theoretical aspects serving purposes as the basic knowledge of the biology of a species by understanding the trophic organization in each environment. The objective was to analyze the food composition and morphology associated with the eating habits of Trachelyopterus galeatus (Linnaeus, 1766) and evaluates the dietary changes over time. The collections of individuals took place on a quarterly basis, during the months of February, May, August and November 2013, through gillnets with different meshes distributed in eight points in the Santa Cruz reservoir and five points in the Umari reservoir, both located in the Rio Grande do Norte. From the items identified in diets were obtained the frequencies of occurrence and volumetric, combined in the calculation of Alimentary Index (IAi). The volumes of the items were ordered in NMDS and their differences tested by PERMANOVA. The contribution of each food item and differences between reservoirs was assessed by SIMPER analysis. The analysis of stomach contents allowed the classification of the species as carnivorous, noting there are significant temporal changes in the species diet, with the morphological characteristics according to the consumption of food items.