Estudo comparando a dieta de três espécies de loricarídeos Eurycheilichthys limulus, Ancistrus brevipinnis e Hemiancistrus punctulatus, em diferentes riachos, com os objetivos de verificar a ocorrência ou não de sobreposição alimentar entre as espécies e entre as classe de tamanho de cada espécie. As coletas foram realizadas bimestralmente, pela técnica de pesca elétrica, a partir de junho / 2012 a junho / 2013, em riachos da bacia do alto Jacuí, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Por meio da análise do conteúdo alimentar, foram identificados 26 itens alimentares. De modo geral, as três espécies apresentaram quatro itens que se destacaram: Detrito orgânico, Bacillariophyta, Sedimento e Material vegetal. Além disso, a espécie Eurycheilichthys limulus consumiu uma elevada proporção de larvas de Simuliidae e Chironomidae, e as espécies Ancistrus brevipinnis e Hemiancistrus punctulatus apresentaram uma composição da dieta semelhante. Ancistrus brevipinnis apresentou como principais itens alimentares consumidos alga Oedogoniophyceae, larva de Chironomidae, Tecameba, alga Zygnemaphyceae e Rotífera, enquanto Hemiancistrus punctulatus apresentou como principais itens alimentares consumidos alga Oedogoniophyceae, alga Zygnemaphyceae, Tecameba, larva de Chironomidae e alga Cyanophyceae. Foram identificados os itens responsáveis por essa diferença. Todas as espécies e classes de tamanho apresentaram um alto valor de amplitude de nicho e, na maioria das interações, um baixo valor de sobreposição alimentar. Algumas interações entre as espécies Eurycheilichthys limulus versus Hemiancistrus punctulatus e Ancistrus brevipinnis versus H. punctulatus apresentaram valores altos de sobreposição alimentar, o que poderia indicar uma competição, porém o modelo nulo mostrou o compartilhamento de recursos entre as espécies e classes de tamanho/espécies. Por fim, constatou-se que há segregação alimentar entre as três espécies de Siluriformes estudadas e que a partilha de recursos entre as espécies está relacionada à utilização diferencial de itens em diferentes fases da vida. / Study comparing the diet of three species of loricariids Eurycheilichthys limulus, Ancistrus brevipinnis, and Hemiancistrus punctulatus in different streams aiming to verify the presence or absence of food overlap between the species and between each species of size. Samples were conducted bimonthly by electrofishing technique from June / 2012 to June / 2013 In streams of high Jacuí basin, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Through the content analysis feeds were identified 26 food items. In general, the three species showed the presence of four items that stood out: Detritus Organic, Bacillariophyta, Sediment, and Plant Material. In addition to these items, other items were representatively consumed differently for each species. The species Eurycheilichthys limulus consumed a high proportion of Simuliidae larvae and Chironomidae larvae, the species A. punctulatus and H. brevipinnis had a similar composition of the diet, Ancistrus brevipinnis presented as the main food items consumed: algae Oedogoniophyceae, larvae Chironomidae, Tecameba, algae Zygnemaphyceae, and Rotifers, while Hemiancistrus punctulatus presented as the main food items consumed algae Oedogoniophyceae, algae Zygnemaphyceae, Tecameba, larvae Chironomidae, and algae Cyanophycea. Species segregation can be observed by Analysis Coordinates Principal (PCoA). The items identified were responsible for this difference. All species and all size classes showed a high value of niche breadth. In general, these species have a low feeding overlap values. Some interactions between the species Eurycheilichthys limulus versus Hemiancistrus punctulatus and between Ancistrus brevipinnis versus Hemiancistrus punctulatus showed the presence of high values of food overlap indicating a competition, but the null model confirmed the niche partitioning between the species and classes size / species. Finally, it was found that there are food segregation between the three species of Siluriformes studied and that the sharing of resources between species is related to differential use of items in different stages of life.

Estudo comparando a dieta de três espécies de loricarídeos Eurycheilichthys limulus, Ancistrus brevipinnis e Hemiancistrus punctulatus, em diferentes riachos, com os objetivos de verificar a ocorrência ou não de sobreposição alimentar entre as espécies e entre as classe de tamanho de cada espécie. As coletas foram realizadas bimestralmente, pela técnica de pesca elétrica, a partir de junho / 2012 a junho / 2013, em riachos da bacia do alto Jacuí, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Por meio da análise do conteúdo alimentar, foram identificados 26 itens alimentares. De modo geral, as três espécies apresentaram quatro itens que se destacaram: Detrito orgânico, Bacillariophyta, Sedimento e Material vegetal. Além disso, a espécie Eurycheilichthys limulus consumiu uma elevada proporção de larvas de Simuliidae e Chironomidae, e as espécies Ancistrus brevipinnis e Hemiancistrus punctulatus apresentaram uma composição da dieta semelhante. Ancistrus brevipinnis apresentou como principais itens alimentares consumidos alga Oedogoniophyceae, larva de Chironomidae, Tecameba, alga Zygnemaphyceae e Rotífera, enquanto Hemiancistrus punctulatus apresentou como principais itens alimentares consumidos alga Oedogoniophyceae, alga Zygnemaphyceae, Tecameba, larva de Chironomidae e alga Cyanophyceae. Foram identificados os itens responsáveis por essa diferença. Todas as espécies e classes de tamanho apresentaram um alto valor de amplitude de nicho e, na maioria das interações, um baixo valor de sobreposição alimentar. Algumas interações entre as espécies Eurycheilichthys limulus versus Hemiancistrus punctulatus e Ancistrus brevipinnis versus H. punctulatus apresentaram valores altos de sobreposição alimentar, o que poderia indicar uma competição, porém o modelo nulo mostrou o compartilhamento de recursos entre as espécies e classes de tamanho/espécies. Por fim, constatou-se que há segregação alimentar entre as três espécies de Siluriformes estudadas e que a partilha de recursos entre as espécies está relacionada à utilização diferencial de itens em diferentes fases da vida. / Study comparing the diet of three species of loricariids Eurycheilichthys limulus, Ancistrus brevipinnis, and Hemiancistrus punctulatus in different streams aiming to verify the presence or absence of food overlap between the species and between each species of size. Samples were conducted bimonthly by electrofishing technique from June / 2012 to June / 2013 In streams of high Jacuí basin, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Through the content analysis feeds were identified 26 food items. In general, the three species showed the presence of four items that stood out: Detritus Organic, Bacillariophyta, Sediment, and Plant Material. In addition to these items, other items were representatively consumed differently for each species. The species Eurycheilichthys limulus consumed a high proportion of Simuliidae larvae and Chironomidae larvae, the species A. punctulatus and H. brevipinnis had a similar composition of the diet, Ancistrus brevipinnis presented as the main food items consumed: algae Oedogoniophyceae, larvae Chironomidae, Tecameba, algae Zygnemaphyceae, and Rotifers, while Hemiancistrus punctulatus presented as the main food items consumed algae Oedogoniophyceae, algae Zygnemaphyceae, Tecameba, larvae Chironomidae, and algae Cyanophycea. Species segregation can be observed by Analysis Coordinates Principal (PCoA). The items identified were responsible for this difference. All species and all size classes showed a high value of niche breadth. In general, these species have a low feeding overlap values. Some interactions between the species Eurycheilichthys limulus versus Hemiancistrus punctulatus and between Ancistrus brevipinnis versus Hemiancistrus punctulatus showed the presence of high values of food overlap indicating a competition, but the null model confirmed the niche partitioning between the species and classes size / species. Finally, it was found that there are food segregation between the three species of Siluriformes studied and that the sharing of resources between species is related to differential use of items in different stages of life.

Estudo comparando a dieta de três espécies de loricarídeos Eurycheilichthys limulus, Ancistrus brevipinnis e Hemiancistrus punctulatus, em diferentes riachos, com os objetivos de verificar a ocorrência ou não de sobreposição alimentar entre as espécies e entre as classe de tamanho de cada espécie. As coletas foram realizadas bimestralmente, pela técnica de pesca elétrica, a partir de junho / 2012 a junho / 2013, em riachos da bacia do alto Jacuí, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Por meio da análise do conteúdo alimentar, foram identificados 26 itens alimentares. De modo geral, as três espécies apresentaram quatro itens que se destacaram: Detrito orgânico, Bacillariophyta, Sedimento e Material vegetal. Além disso, a espécie Eurycheilichthys limulus consumiu uma elevada proporção de larvas de Simuliidae e Chironomidae, e as espécies Ancistrus brevipinnis e Hemiancistrus punctulatus apresentaram uma composição da dieta semelhante. Ancistrus brevipinnis apresentou como principais itens alimentares consumidos alga Oedogoniophyceae, larva de Chironomidae, Tecameba, alga Zygnemaphyceae e Rotífera, enquanto Hemiancistrus punctulatus apresentou como principais itens alimentares consumidos alga Oedogoniophyceae, alga Zygnemaphyceae, Tecameba, larva de Chironomidae e alga Cyanophyceae. Foram identificados os itens responsáveis por essa diferença. Todas as espécies e classes de tamanho apresentaram um alto valor de amplitude de nicho e, na maioria das interações, um baixo valor de sobreposição alimentar. Algumas interações entre as espécies Eurycheilichthys limulus versus Hemiancistrus punctulatus e Ancistrus brevipinnis versus H. punctulatus apresentaram valores altos de sobreposição alimentar, o que poderia indicar uma competição, porém o modelo nulo mostrou o compartilhamento de recursos entre as espécies e classes de tamanho/espécies. Por fim, constatou-se que há segregação alimentar entre as três espécies de Siluriformes estudadas e que a partilha de recursos entre as espécies está relacionada à utilização diferencial de itens em diferentes fases da vida. / Study comparing the diet of three species of loricariids Eurycheilichthys limulus, Ancistrus brevipinnis, and Hemiancistrus punctulatus in different streams aiming to verify the presence or absence of food overlap between the species and between each species of size. Samples were conducted bimonthly by electrofishing technique from June / 2012 to June / 2013 In streams of high Jacuí basin, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Through the content analysis feeds were identified 26 food items. In general, the three species showed the presence of four items that stood out: Detritus Organic, Bacillariophyta, Sediment, and Plant Material. In addition to these items, other items were representatively consumed differently for each species. The species Eurycheilichthys limulus consumed a high proportion of Simuliidae larvae and Chironomidae larvae, the species A. punctulatus and H. brevipinnis had a similar composition of the diet, Ancistrus brevipinnis presented as the main food items consumed: algae Oedogoniophyceae, larvae Chironomidae, Tecameba, algae Zygnemaphyceae, and Rotifers, while Hemiancistrus punctulatus presented as the main food items consumed algae Oedogoniophyceae, algae Zygnemaphyceae, Tecameba, larvae Chironomidae, and algae Cyanophycea. Species segregation can be observed by Analysis Coordinates Principal (PCoA). The items identified were responsible for this difference. All species and all size classes showed a high value of niche breadth. In general, these species have a low feeding overlap values. Some interactions between the species Eurycheilichthys limulus versus Hemiancistrus punctulatus and between Ancistrus brevipinnis versus Hemiancistrus punctulatus showed the presence of high values of food overlap indicating a competition, but the null model confirmed the niche partitioning between the species and classes size / species. Finally, it was found that there are food segregation between the three species of Siluriformes studied and that the sharing of resources between species is related to differential use of items in different stages of life.

M.Sc. (Zoology) / An investigation was made into the ecology of Barbus brevipinnis and Opsaridium zambezense in the Incomati River System in the Eastern Transvaal. Special attention was given to factors which may threaten the existence of both species. New information was collected on aspects concerning their length:mass relationship, condition, fecundity, feeding habits as weIl as parasites. Measurements were made of the standard, fork and total lengths of both species, which in each case was related to the specific mass of the fish. Both species are, according to the information obtained, capable of successive spawning over an extended period during the breeding season. This implies that the evaluation for fecundity according to standard procedures may in both species be conservative in terms of estimates of the total numbers of eggs produced during the breeding season. Indications are, however, that of Zambezense may produce relatively low numbers of eggs and this as weIl as certain environmental factors, may in combination explain the relative scarcity of this fish in the Inkomati River System. Environmental pollution may further complicate this issue. One of the main objectives of this study was to investigate the habitat requirements of both species. In doing so, both species can now be better defined in terms of certain biological requirements as welI as environmental conditions under which they occur. It is hoped that this information may contribute towards a better understanding of the environmental conservation status of both species. The scarcity collection of studies into including GSI. of both species prohibited the large scale specimens normally required to enable intensive factors such as feeding, growth and breeding, It was therefore not possible during this study to obtain an accurate assessment of parameters such as fecundity, which should be investigated in more detail if and when material on both species becomes available. Recommendations are made concerning morphometric and electrophoretic investigations of both species in order to evaluate their species status more accurately. It is suggested that the habitats where B.brevipinnis and O.zambezense occur be closely monitored in future to observe any further deterioration which may be caused by agricultural and mining activities. It is recommended that because of the relative scarcity of Zambezense in the Inkomati River System, and to the apparent sensitivity of this species to environmental disturbance of its habitat, its conservation status be changed from indeterminate scarce to vulnerable.