Intracohort cannibalism in South American native fish species: biological mechanisms and implications to Aquaculture

• Grant number: 15/12210-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: December 01, 2016
• End date: March 15, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Fishery Resources and Fishery Engineering - Aquaculture
• Principal Investigator: Maria Célia Portella
• Grantee: Flavio Furtado Ribeiro
• Host Institution: Centro de Aquicultura (CAUNESP). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Intracohort cannibalism is a major issue in the Aquaculture of piscivorous fish, and severe cannibalism can cause intense commercial losses. In general, terms, the present project aims to describe the ontogeny of cannibalism, to identify the dynamics and to assess the risks of cannibalism through studies addressing the biological bases of the event in South-American native fish species, such as the spotted-sorubim Pseudoplatystoma corruscans and Dourado Salminus brasiliensis. Three studies will be carried-out specifically addressing (1) the ontogeny and morphological limitations of cannibalism; (2) conspecific prey size selection and (3) the growth advantage of cannibalism. In the first study, the aforementioned two fishes will be used as model species aiming to describe the ontogeny of cannibalism and to develop predictive models of cannibalism. The models will then be empirically validated through predation experiments, where cannibals will be tested for their morphological predation capacity. The fish showing the highest cannibalistic tendency will be selected as target-species for further studies, where the conspecific prey size selection will be investigated using a behavioural approach. Lastly, in a third study, the growth performance of cannibals (fed on conspecifics) and non-cannibals (fed on inert diets) individuals will be compared aiming to test the growth advantage of cannibalism, from an Aquaculture perspective. Besides aiding in elucidating important biological aspects of fish piscivory, the results here achieved will have straightforward application in the development of protocols for cannibalism control in fish hatcheries, then ultimately contributing to the development of protocols of captivity production of native fish species. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

RIBEIRO, FLAVIO F.; PORTELLA, MARIA C.. Intracohort cannibalism in Dourado (Salminus brasiliensis): Ontogeny, behavior and morphological limitation. Aquaculture, v. 528, NOV 15 2020. (15/12210-5)