Food habits and dietary overlap of nongame insectivorous fishes in Flint Creek, Oklahoma, a western Ozark foothills stream

Authors

C. Stan Todd, North Texas State University, Denton
Kenneth W. Stewart, North Texas State University, Denton

Abstract

Insectivorous fishes were sampled from March, 1983 to February 1984, in Flint Creek, Delaware Co., Oklahoma. There was insignificant habitat segregation between Etheostoma spectabile and E. punctulatum and seasonal habitat partitioning between Cottus carolinae and both darters. Mature E. spectabile ate primarily chironomids and mayflies, whereas juveniles fed primarily on microcrustaceans. Mature E. punctulatum consumed fewer Ephemerella and Leptophlebia than E. spectabile, feeding on Stenonema and other crustaceans. Juvenile E. punctulatum fed mainly on amphipods and mayflies, and juvenile E. spectabile ate primarily microcrustaceans. Cottus carolinae elected primarily mayflies in spring-summer and chironomids in January-February. Coefficients of dietary overlap were highest between larger E. spectabile and juvenile E. punctulatum and lowest between immature E. spectabile and mature E. punctulatum. Overlap between the two darters was significantly correlated with differences in mean prey size (p < 0.0005). Overlap between sizes of E. spectabile was also significantly correlated to differences in mean prey sizes. Etheostoma spectabile generally preferred smaller prey than E. punctulatum. All three species avoided Stenelmis. Cottus carolinae avoided microcrustaceans. The study showed that resource partitioning among these three insectivorous fishes is affected by complex interactions of habitat and prey electivity, and prey size selectivity.

Recommended Citation

Todd, C. Stan and Stewart, Kenneth W. (1985) "Food habits and dietary overlap of nongame insectivorous fishes in Flint Creek, Oklahoma, a western Ozark foothills stream," Great Basin Naturalist: Vol. 45: No. 4, Article 9.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbn/vol45/iss4/9