Abstract

LONGART, Yelipza; ACOSTA, Vanessa; PARRA, Bertha  and  LISTA, María. Food habits of the marao phosphorus Hemirhamphus brasiliensis of the surroundings of Cubagua’s Island, Venezuela. Zootecnia Trop. [online]. 2011, vol.29, n.1, pp.77-87. ISSN 0798-7269.

In order to determine the feeding habits of phosphorus Marao Hemirhamphus brasiliensis, a total of 371 specimens collected around Cubagua Island during March 2002 and March 2003 were studied. Gills and digestive systems were extracted for analysis. The phosphorus Marao branchial apparatus, consists of 4 pairs of gill arches, the first arch had an average of 30 gills and an average length of 34.49 mm, while the digestive tract was exposed along the body with average length of 143.54 mm with almost no external differentiation. Microscopically, on the inside numerous small folds were observed that differentiate the esophagus from stomach, folds more pronounced, and no elastic walls and gut caeca , thin-walled with a smaller number of folds. The filling rate was 1.10 and the vacuity index 0, no digestive tracts were found empty. The species consumed mostly molluscs and Planaxidae Janthinidae families, followed by the remains of plant material (Thalassia sp.), remains of fish eggs and coelenterates, which places it as an omnivorous fish habits.

Keywords : Hemirhamphus brasiliensis; feeding habits.