Mice on menu: opportunistic feeding behaviour of the Amazonian silver arowana Osteoglossum bicirrhosum |
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| Authors: | Julia Tovar Verba Manoela Lima de Oliveira Borges Maria Nazareth Ferreira da Silva Lorena Costa Pinto José Gurgel Rabello Neto |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Ecology, Bioscience Centre, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil;2. Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, National Institute of Amazonian Research, Manaus, Brazil;3. Collection of Mammals, National Institute of Amazonian Research, Manaus, Brazil;4. Uninorte/Laureate International Universities, Manaus, Brazil;5. Piaga?u Institute, Manaus, Brazil |
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| Abstract: | Two silver arowana, Osteoglossum bicirrhosum, one male (49.5 cm standard length, LS) and one female (52.5 cm LS) that had fed on small‐eared colilargo or small‐eared pygmy rice rat Oligoryzomys microtis, were sampled during the rising water period in the Brazilian Amazon. The identified prey were 6 and 8 cm long and occupied the entire stomachs of both individuals. This opportunistic feeding behaviour appears to be a strategy for this fish to acquire nutrients during times when its usual aquatic prey is dispersed throughout the flooded forest. |
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| Keywords: | allochthonous feeding bicirrhosum freshwater food web Oligoryzomys Osteoglossum bicirrhosum |
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