African Journal of
Environmental Science and Technology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Environ. Sci. Technol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0786
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJEST
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 1126

Full Length Research Paper

Diet study of Nannothrissa stewarti (Poll & Roberts, 1976) Clupeidae in Lake Mai-Ndombe, Democratic Republic of Congo

Zanga Norbert Lingopa
  • Zanga Norbert Lingopa
  • Institut Supérieur de Pêche (ISPê), Mbandaka, DR Congo.
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Pwema Victor Kianfu
  • Pwema Victor Kianfu
  • Laboratory of Limnology, Hydrobiology and Aquaculture, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kinshasa, B.P. 190 Kinshasa XI, DR Congo.
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Mbomba Nseu Bekeli
  • Mbomba Nseu Bekeli
  • Laboratory of Limnology, Hydrobiology and Aquaculture, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kinshasa, B.P. 190 Kinshasa XI, DR Congo.
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Mutambwe Shango
  • Mutambwe Shango
  • Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kinshasa, B.P. 190 Kinshasa XI, DR Congo.
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Micha Jean Claude
  • Micha Jean Claude
  • École régionale postuniversitaire d'Aménagement et de Gestion intégrés des Forêts tropicales et Territoires tropicaux (ERAIFT), Kinshasa, DR Congo.
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  •  Received: 22 April 2022
  •  Accepted: 10 June 2022
  •  Published: 30 June 2022

Abstract

In order to determine the diet of Nannothrissa stewarti in Lake Mai Ndombe, 667 specimens with total length between 9.0 and 49.84 mm were studied. These fish were sampled by active fishing during the 24 h cycle between September 2018 and October 2021. The vacuity (%) and intestinal coefficients were 38.71% and 0.69 ± 0.03, respectively, classifying N. stewarti as invertivorous. The calculated feeding indices showed that zooplankton are the essential prey (%Ffi = 88.8; %IP = 90.0; and %IRI = 90.8) while phytoplankton are the incidential prey. Larvae feed on cyclopoid, copepods, and nauplius while adults consume cladoceras, copepods, rotifers and phytoplankton. This fish begins its feeding activity early in the morning (5:00 am), his stomach fills up around 1:00 pm and empties completely around 1:00 am. Thus, N. stewarti in various steps growing ages both males and females are zooplanktons feeders.

   

Key words: Lake Mai-Ndombe, Nannothrissa stewarti, food indices, diurnal.

Copyright © 2024 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.

This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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