Overview & Comparison of Overview & Comparison of Feeding Mechanisms in Feeding Mechanisms in
Various Fish SpeciesVarious Fish SpeciesBiology of FishesBiology of FishesOctober 18, 2012October 18, 2012
Fish SpeciesFish Species Hypostomus plecostomusHypostomus plecostomus (algae-eater) (algae-eater)
Teleostei, LoricariidaeTeleostei, Loricariidaeomnivoreomnivore
Amphilophus citrinellusAmphilophus citrinellus (red devil cichlid) (red devil cichlid)Teleostei, CichlidaeTeleostei, Cichlidae
carnivorecarnivore Lepisosteus osseusLepisosteus osseus (longnose gar) (longnose gar)
Holostei, LepisosteidaeHolostei, Lepisosteidaepiscivorepiscivore
Esox americanus vermiculatusEsox americanus vermiculatus (grass pickerel) (grass pickerel)Teleostei, EsocidaeTeleostei, Esocidae
piscivorepiscivore Protopterus annectensProtopterus annectens (West African lungfish) (West African lungfish)
Dipnoi, ProtopteridaeDipnoi, Protopteridaeomnivoreomnivore
Prey ItemPrey Item
Carassius auratusCarassius auratus
Hypostomus plecostomusHypostomus plecostomus
Naturally occurs in South Naturally occurs in South American rivers, feeding on American rivers, feeding on plant materialplant material
Sucker mouth with rasping Sucker mouth with rasping teeth & bony structuresteeth & bony structures
Primarily herbivorous Primarily herbivorous (mainly algae) but will (mainly algae) but will scavenge on dead animal scavenge on dead animal mattermatter
Ventrally flattened for Ventrally flattened for bottom feedingbottom feeding
Hypostomus plecostomusHypostomus plecostomus Scavenging behaviorScavenging behavior
Amphilophus citrinellusAmphilophus citrinellus Naturally occurs in Central Naturally occurs in Central
American lakes American lakes More More ‘‘typicaltypical’’ laterally laterally
compressed bodycompressed body Mouth & jaw structure Mouth & jaw structure
mobile, can be extended to mobile, can be extended to create suction for feeding create suction for feeding and nest buildingand nest building
Carnivorous, feeds primarily Carnivorous, feeds primarily on snails, insects, smaller on snails, insects, smaller fishesfishes
Amphilophus citrinellusAmphilophus citrinellus Teeth and bony ridge Teeth and bony ridge
allow allow A. citrinellusA. citrinellus to to crush/eat snails, crush/eat snails, insects, and fishinsects, and fish
Complex mouth Complex mouth morphology allows morphology allows ‘‘extensionextension’’ to generate to generate suction in capturing suction in capturing prey fish and in moving prey fish and in moving substrate for nest substrate for nest buildingbuilding
Amphilophus citrinellusAmphilophus citrinellus Prey capture Prey capture
utilizing utilizing extension of extension of mouth to create mouth to create suctionsuction
Amphilophus citrinellusAmphilophus citrinellus Prey capture utilizing extension Prey capture utilizing extension
of mouth to create suctionof mouth to create suction
Amphilophus citrinellusAmphilophus citrinellus Mouth morphology also used to move substrate for nest buildingMouth morphology also used to move substrate for nest building
Lepisosteus osseusLepisosteus osseus Naturally occurs in North American lakes and riversNaturally occurs in North American lakes and rivers Elongate, more ancestral body structureElongate, more ancestral body structure Skull & jaw structure fused, less mobile (compared to Skull & jaw structure fused, less mobile (compared to
teleosts like teleosts like A. citrinellusA. citrinellus)) Primarily piscivorousPrimarily piscivorous
Lepisosteus osseusLepisosteus osseus Elongate (but less mobile) jaw structure and numerous Elongate (but less mobile) jaw structure and numerous
teeth allow capture & grasping of prey fishteeth allow capture & grasping of prey fish L. osseusL. osseus hunts prey fishes as individuals or in schools; hunts prey fishes as individuals or in schools;
primarily utilizes primarily utilizes ‘‘Pattern BPattern B’’ attack attack L. osseusL. osseus uses both active hunting and lie and wait uses both active hunting and lie and wait
tacticstactics
Lepisosteus osseusLepisosteus osseus
Lepisosteus osseusLepisosteus osseus
Lepisosteus osseusLepisosteus osseus
Esox americanus Esox americanus ((vermiculatusvermiculatus)) Naturally occurs in North American lakes and riversNaturally occurs in North American lakes and rivers Elongate body structureElongate body structure Jaws with mobile maxilla, utilize suction and graspingJaws with mobile maxilla, utilize suction and grasping Primarily piscivorousPrimarily piscivorous
Esox americanusEsox americanus
E. americanus utilizes ‘lie & wait’ strategy
Camouflage enhances ambush tactics
Esox americanusEsox americanus
Protopterus annectensProtopterus annectens Native to West African lake & river systemsNative to West African lake & river systems One of the One of the ‘‘most primitivemost primitive’’ fishes fishes Obligate air-breathersObligate air-breathers Lobed fins for locomotion & prey detectionLobed fins for locomotion & prey detection Tooth platesTooth plates
Protopterus annectensProtopterus annectens
Protopterus annectensProtopterus annectens
Conclusions & DiscussionConclusions & Discussion Fishes of various body types and mouth Fishes of various body types and mouth
morphologies can utilize different tactics to consume morphologies can utilize different tactics to consume the same type of preythe same type of prey
Which species utilize the different foraging patterns Which species utilize the different foraging patterns (time minimizing, energy maximizing)?(time minimizing, energy maximizing)?
Which speciesWhich species’’ tactics have the most handling time? tactics have the most handling time? Does one type of feeding behavior seem more Does one type of feeding behavior seem more
successful than the others (of the six species successful than the others (of the six species observed)? observed)?
Questions?Questions?