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The orobranchial structures in four neotropical silversides (Teleostei: Atherinopsidae) related with feeding habits

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Abstract

The morphology of the orobranchial structures in fish generally reflects the feeding habits and food preferences of a species and is key in understanding the process and habits of fish feeding. This work describes the orobranchial structures of four neotropical silversides (Teleostei: Atherinopsidae): the Mexican pike silverside Chirostoma estor, the Mexican blacknose silverside Chirostoma promelas, the Argentinian silverside Odontesthes bonariensis and Patagonian pejerrey Odontesthes hatcheri, and correlates their morphological features with existing information on gut contents and feeding habits in adult fish. Results of the compared and analysed data in the present study portray an integrative view of the specialised habits of the different species. Significant morphological differences, which are related to primary feeding habits of four species, were found. C. promelas shows to be more piscivorous compared to O. hatcheri, which has main benthic habits, while O. bonariensis and C. estor have more zooplanktivorous preferences. This information provides knowledge of feeding habits and ecological interactions of these species and their prey.

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Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Dr. Gustavo Somoza (INTECH, Argentina) and M.Sc. Pablo Hualde (Research Centre of Junin de los Andes, Argentina) for the supply to Odontesthes bonariensis and O. hatcheri specimens; and Iván Holguín Sarabia for aid in this project as photography editor.

Funding

This study was funded by Coordinación de la Investigación Científica-Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo and SEP-CONACyT, México (Grant no. 84823).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. LANMDA, IIAF, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Av. San Juanito Itzícuaro S/N, Col. San Juanito Itzícuaro, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico

    Carlos A. Martínez-Palacios, María C. Aguilar-Valdez, María G. Ríos-Durán, Elva M. Toledo-Cuevas, J. Fonseca-Madrigal & Carlos C. Martínez-Chávez

  2. Division of Marine Sciences, Department of Aquatic Biosciences, Graduate School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Konan 4-5-7, Minato, Tokyo, 108-8477, Japan

    Carlos A. Strüssmann

  3. CONACyT-LAMNDA, IIAF, UMSNH, Av. San Juanito Itzícuaro S/N, Col. San Juanito Itzícuaro, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico

    P. Navarrete-Ramírez

  4. Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, UK

    Lindsay G. Ross

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  1. Carlos A. Martínez-Palacios
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  2. María C. Aguilar-Valdez
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  3. Carlos A. Strüssmann
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  8. Carlos C. Martínez-Chávez
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Correspondence to María G. Ríos-Durán.

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EU Directive 2010/63/EU for animal experiments, the guidelines for the accommodation and care of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes (2007/526/EC) and Mexican National ethical guideline NOM-062-ZOO-1999 were followed. This article does not contain any studies with human participants performed by any of the authors.

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Martínez-Palacios, C.A., Aguilar-Valdez, M.C., Strüssmann, C.A. et al. The orobranchial structures in four neotropical silversides (Teleostei: Atherinopsidae) related with feeding habits. Zoomorphology 138, 511–523 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-019-00457-1

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