NATURAL DIET OF BARBEL BARBUS PELOPONNESIUS (VALENCIENNES, 1842) FROM THE SAVA RIVER

Abstract

The barbel population (Barbus peloponnesius) was studied in the Sava River at Medsave from July to October 2001. The main objective of the study was to obtain data on diet composition of this species in natural biotopes with relation to food availability in the river. In the spring, the dominant food items of barbel were Chironomidae, Oligochaeta and Cladocera. In the summer, they preferred Chironomidae, Ephemeroptera, and Trichoptera with a combination of plant foods Bacillariophyceae and Chlorophyceae. The main foods of this species in the autumn were larvae of Insecta and Bacillariophyceae. Smaller barbel preferred animal prey and less plant items, while larger sizes of this species preferred only animal prey. Diet selectivity with relation to food availability in the environment was diverse in various investigated period. Positive selectivity in June was found for Xantophyceae and makroavertebrates, in July for Chlorophyceae, Bacillariophyceae and macroinvertebrates and in October for Bacillariophyceae and macroinvertebrates.

Keywords

• barbel
• barbus peloponnesius
• natural diet
• intestine