Feeding ecology and diet of Zagros tooth-carp, Aphhanius vladykovi Coad, 1988 in Choghakhor wetland of Chaharmahal-O-Bakhtiary Province

 Investigating the diet of fishes is important in order to investigate the ecological role and understand their position in the food web chains.

In this study, Feeding ecology of Aphanius vladykovi in Choghakhor wetland of Chaharmahal-O-Bakhtiary Province was evaluated seasonally. In this reason, the relative index of gastrointestinal (RLG), condition factor (CF) vacuity index (VI) and food items between male and female, two size classes in the hot and cold seasons were investigated.

Fish diet was primarily composed of crustaceans (Ostracoda, Ampipoda), mollusks (Gastropoda, Bivalvia), aquatic insect larvae (Ephemeroptera, Diptera) and detritus. There was no significant sex and size-related variation in food items. Diet composition was significantly different between hot and cold seasons (p < 0/05). Furthermore, the average of RLG index was 0.885±0.51that indicated the fish was carnivorous.

 In general, in this study, based on the average relative length of the intestine, A. vladykovi is introduced as a carnivorous fish. It is also at an average level in terms of nutrition. The change of season had an effect on the diet of this species, but the studied biological variables such as gender and size were not effective in determining the choice of food items.