Feeding habits of some fish species that live under the influence of the sewerage disposal system of Fortaleza, Ceará State, Brazil

Abstract

The knowledge of feeding habits is the first step for the unerstanding trophic relationships between species, but the human interference may bring about changes in behavior and feedomg diet of their individuals. This is the case of the area that receives the sewage from, 3,2km far away from seacoast. The aim of this paper is to detect possible changes in the feeding habits of fishes that live in the neighborhood of Oceanic Sewage Disposal System of Fortaleza – SDOES. The sampling was carried out on January, 1999, using a bottom trawlnet. For the stomach content study, alimentary items were submitted to a qualitative analysis for (inorganic or organic material and its conservation stage. 50 specimens were examined, predominant juveniles, belonging to 18 species, 17 genus and 10 families. These specimens are deposited in the Ictiological Colletion of the Federal University of Ceará, Brazil. Some species, such as Larimus breviceps, showed peculiarities in its stomach contents in that all specimens exhibited only crustacean eyes inserted in a digestive mass. In Conodon nobilis, ctenoid scales were the most plentiful item. Among the analyzed specimens, crustaceans, followed by a mineral composite, polychaetae and seaweed represented the primary item in their feeding diet.