Aspectos ecológicos do bacu-pedra Lithodoras dorsalis (Valenciennes, 1840) (Siluriformes: Doradidae) na foz amazônica, Brasil

Abstract

The aim of this study was investigate the ecological aspects related to the rock-bacu Lithodoras dorsalis (Siluriformes: Doradidae) from streams next to the city of Abaetetuba, Pará, Brazil. The aspects investigated were: feeding ecology and dispersal of plant diaspores (seeds). The study of feeding ecology and seed dispersal are important because they provide essential information for understanding the relationship between ichthyofauna and environment, allowing the taking of effective measures in the conservation of species and ecosystems. The samplings were carried out monthly from July 2010 to June 2011. In this period, 371 specimens of L. dorsalis were collected and through analysis of the gonads was found that all were immature. The average standard length was equal to 15.40 cm (SD ± 4.87 cm) and average total mass equal to 94 g (SD ± 149.45). The diet of the species was composed by 28 food items (16 allochthonous origin and 12 autochthonous origin) and Lithodoras dorsalis was classified as herbivore with a strong tendency to frugivory due to the high importance of fruits and seeds in your diet. With regard to the intensity of obtaining food by the rock-bacu, there were differences between the pluviometric periods, where the end of the transitional period wet-drought and early drought periods represented the lowest and highest feeding activity, respectively. However, there were no significant difference to the importance of the items consumed between the pluviometric periods, the diet of species was similar throughout the sampling period. About the dispersal of seeds, 268 (74.93%) of 371s pecimens of Lithodoras dorsalis showed fruit and vegetable seeds in their stomachs, the main being the assai Euterpe oleracea Mart., the aninga Montrichardia linifera (Arruda) Schott and the buriti Mauritia flexuosa Mart. For analysis we used the assai seeds Euterpe oleracea Mart. and aninga Montrichardia linifera (Arruda) Schott for reaching enough samples. From the analysis of the digestive tract of the rock-bacu was found that all plant diaspores of Euterpe oleracea Mart. were found intact, with an increase in performance of this plant germination, but this did not occur to aninga Montrichardia linifera (Arruda) Schott, because the digestion process destroyed some seeds. Thus it was concluded that Lithodoras dorsalis is a potential disperser of assai Euterpe oleracea Mart. in the Amazonian mouth, because in addition to increasing the performance of the seeds germination, there is an increase in the amount of fruits and seeds consumed by the individuals with the increasing of their body size. Finally, given the high consumption of material of allochthonous origin for Lithodoras dorsalis, we highlight the importance of riparian vegetation by providing items such as fruit and seeds, essential in the diet of Neotropical fishes and we emphasize the importance of ictiocoria for plants since many have sessile habit of life and cannot move from one location to another without the aid of dispersers.