Feeding habits of Chironomid larvae (Insecta: Diptera) from a stream in the Floresta da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Brazilian Journal of Biology

A. L. Henriques-oliveira²  J. L. Nessimian²  L. F. M. Dorvillé¹ 

[1] ,Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Instituto de Biologia Departamento de ZoologiaRio de Janeiro,Brazil

关键词: food habits;    gut contents;    Chironomidae;    larvae;    alimentação;    conteúdo estomacal;    Chironomidae;    larva;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S1519-69842003000200012

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

Chironomids larvae are frequently one of the most abundant and diverse groups of insects in several kinds of aquatic environments. Also, they play a major role in the aquatic food webs, representing a major link among producers and secondary consumers. This work investigates the feeding behavior of the chironomid larvae present in the Rio da Fazenda, situated in the Parque Nacional da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between August 1994 and May 1995. Algae, fungi, pollen, leaf and wood fragments, animal remains, detritus and silt were the main gut contents found in the larvae studied. The main food item ingested by the larvae was detritus, except for the Stenochironomus whose main food source was leaf and wood fragments. Tanypodinae exhibited a large quantity of animal remains of several kinds in the diet. During the period studied it was observed that the diet of 16 genera (out of 24 studied) varied. Tanypodinae had mainly coarse particulate organic matter (> 1 mm) in the gut contents, while Chironominae and Orthocladiinae had fine particulate organic matter (< 1 mm).

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
 All the contents of this journal, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License