New Zealand Journal of Zoology abstracts
Making a living in Red Pond: A snapshot of the diet of a population
of Aplochiton zebra (Teleostei: Galaxiidae) at the Falkland
Islands
Robert M. McDowall
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd
P.O. Box 8602
Christchurch, New Zealand
email: r.mcdowall@niwa.co.nz
Abstract Diet of landlocked Aplochiton zebra
(Galaxiidae) in Red Pond, Falkland Islands, was studied from 30 fish
captured by seine net on 9 November 1999. Most fish had stomachs
tightly packed with either fine, white sand or black organic debris, or
both. Small numbers of chironomid pupae and larvae, gastropods, and
amphipods were present in most fish. The range of food items was low,
and nearly half the fish stomachs contained only one food type. One
exceptional fish contained 75 amphipods. Intestines were empty or also
contained sand and/or black organic debris. Red Pond was highly turbid
at the time of sampling and, given the Falkland Islands weather, may be
turbid most of the time. These data, if typical of Red Pond zebra trout
diet, suggest difficulty finding food visually. Acanthocephalan
parasites were common in the intestines (mean > 11 parasites and up
to 40 per fish). The presence of acanthocephalans may relate to the
role of amphipods in the diet.
Keywords turbidity; Amphipoda; Chironomidae;
Acanthocephala; Falkland Islands; Aplochiton zebra; diet
Z04018; Received 27 May 2004; accepted 4 October 2004; Online
publication date 2 March 2005
New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 2005, Vol. 32: 23–27
0301–4223/05/3201–0023
© The Royal Society of New Zealand 2005
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