First results of a study of the feeding habits of Synodontiscomoensis (Siluriformes: Mochokidae) in a West African river (Comoé River, Comoé National Park, Côte d’Ivoire)

• Published in: Aquatic ecology Vol. 42; no. 1; pp. 35 - 42
• Main Authors: Koné, Tidiani, Kouamélan, Essétchi P., Yao, Stanislas S., N’Douba, Valentin, Ollevier, Frans
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-03-2008
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Diptera; Ecosystems; Ephemeroptera; Freshwater; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Gastropoda; Hymenoptera; Isoptera; Life Sciences; Marine; Mochokidae; Oligochaeta; Original Paper; Siluriformes; Cote d'Ivoire, Comoe Natl. Park; Cote d'Ivoire; Diet; Mochokid fish; Seasonal variation; West Africa; Size effect
• ISSN: 1386-2588; 1573-5125
• DOI: 10.1007/s10452-006-9074-y

The feeding habits of
Synodontis
comoensis
(Siluriformes, Mochokidae) have been studied for the first time. Specimens caught in the Comoé River (Comoé National Park, Côte d’Ivoire) had fed on different types of food including insects (Diptera, Ephemeroptera, Hymenoptera, and Isoptera), molluscs (gastropods and bivalves), oligochaetes, and macrophytes. The food items most frequently found in the stomach contents were chironomid larvae, oligochaetes, vegetable detritus, fruit, and gastropods. Correlation studies based on the index of preponderance of food items revealed noticeable variation in
S. comoensis
diet composition with fish size and season. Preferred food items of young fish were oligochaetes in the rainy season and vegetable detritus in the dry season. Food items preferred by larger fish were fruit and gastropods in the rainy season and chironomid larvae in the dry season.