Régime alimentaire de Ctenopoma petherici (Perciformes, Anabantidae) dans la rivière Agnéby et dans le lac de barrage hydroélectrique d'Ayamé 2 (Côte d'Ivoire)

Abstract

Feeding Diets of Ctenopoma petherici (Perciformes, Anabantidae) from the Agneby River and from the Hydroelectric Lake Dam of Ayame 2 (Côte d'Ivoire). The present study describes the feeding habits of Ctenopoma petherici (Perciformes, Anabantidae) in the Agneby River and in the hydroelectric Lake dam of Ayame 2. Fishes were caught monthly using gill-nets from September 2015 to August 2016. Stomach contents of 425 specimens were analysed under a magnifying glass and a microscope. The Relative Importance of Food Index has been calculated to assess the relative abundance of the preys. The general profile of the diet indicated that C. petherici feeds on insects, arachnids, molluscs, batrachians, macrophytes and algae. The insects provide the main part of the feeding and they constitute the principal prey category. Macrophytes were the secondary item while arachnids, molluscs, batrachians and algae were accessory preys. These results indicate that this species is omnivorous with an insectivorous tendency. This feeding pattern is seasonally affected, particularly in the Agneby River. However, there is no variation in the diet according to the size of the individuals.

Keywords

• Food
• Emptiness
• Occurrence
• Opportunist
• Alimentary spectre
• Côte d'Ivoire