freshwater fish ecology; isotopic niche; mouth morphology; niche differentiation; trait divergence; trophic lineage diversification; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Ecology; Nature and Landscape Conservation
Abstract :
[en] Mouth morphology plays a crucial role in determining the trophic ecology of fish and sometimes underpins important lineage diversification. Freshwater teleost fish species belonging to the genus Labeobarbus, commonly found in Africa, exhibit intra- and interspecific variation and differences in the lower jaw occurring within and between species, respectively. Different phenotypes include a curved U-shape ('rubberlips'), a straight lower jaw ('chiselmouth') and an intermediate morphology known as the smiling phenotype. In some cases, smiling originates from hybridisation between chiselmouth and rubberlips. However, the trophic relationships of different mouth morphologies in the Labeobarbus taxa are still not well understood, particularly in the Congo Basin. Understanding the trophic ecology of Labeobarbus can enhance understanding of adaptive processes in morphologically diverse lineages. This study aims to investigate how differences in mouth morphology among multiple Labeobarbus species in the Luhoho River (Upper Congo Basin) link with different trophic niche uses. We combined information from gut morphometry, gut contents and stable isotope analyses on 202 fish specimens representing six species across four tributaries of the Middle Luhoho. All approaches consistently revealed trophic niche partitioning between chiselmouth and rubberlip species, respectively, more herbivorous/detritivorous and more insectivorous on the omnivory spectrum. In addition, trophic differences were also found between species within each mouth phenotype. Interestingly, the trophic niche of the smiling phenotype differed strongly from those of other phenotypes at all sites except for L. paucisquamatus, for which the trophic niches overlapped in Tchinganda. The pattern of trophic niche of Labeobarbus suggests subtle strategies to partition feeding resources when they occur across a narrow hydrographic scale.
Kisekelwa, Tchalondawa ; Centre for Research in Biodiversity, Ecology, Evolution and Conservation (CRBEC) Bukavu Democratic Republic of the Congo ; Unité d'Enseignement et de Recherche en Hydrobiologie Appliquée (UERHA), Biology Department Institut Supérieur Pédagogique de Bukavu (ISP) Bukavu Democratic Republic of the Congo
Alimasi, Wilondja ; Centre for Research in Biodiversity, Ecology, Evolution and Conservation (CRBEC) Bukavu Democratic Republic of the Congo ; Unité d'Enseignement et de Recherche en Hydrobiologie Appliquée (UERHA), Biology Department Institut Supérieur Pédagogique de Bukavu (ISP) Bukavu Democratic Republic of the Congo
Joyeuse, Mudagi; Centre for Research in Biodiversity, Ecology, Evolution and Conservation (CRBEC) Bukavu Democratic Republic of the Congo ; Unité d'Enseignement et de Recherche en Hydrobiologie Appliquée (UERHA), Biology Department Institut Supérieur Pédagogique de Bukavu (ISP) Bukavu Democratic Republic of the Congo
Kubota, Musombwa; Centre for Research in Biodiversity, Ecology, Evolution and Conservation (CRBEC) Bukavu Democratic Republic of the Congo ; Unité d'Enseignement et de Recherche en Hydrobiologie Appliquée (UERHA), Biology Department Institut Supérieur Pédagogique de Bukavu (ISP) Bukavu Democratic Republic of the Congo
Muzungu, Heri; Centre for Research in Biodiversity, Ecology, Evolution and Conservation (CRBEC) Bukavu Democratic Republic of the Congo
Mushagalusa Mulega, Archimède ; Département de Biologie Centre de Recherche en Hydrobiologie (CRH) d'Uvira Uvira Democratic Republic of the Congo
Lemmens, Pieter; Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution & Conservation, Biology Department KU Leuven Leuven Belgium ; Leibniz Institute für Gewasserökologie Und Binnenfischerei (IGB) Berlin Germany
Vreven, Emmanuel; Vertebrates Section, Ichthyology Royal Museum for Central Africa Tervuren Belgium ; South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity Grahamstown South Africa
Snoeks, Jos; Vertebrates Section, Ichthyology Royal Museum for Central Africa Tervuren Belgium ; Fish Diversity and Conservation, Biology Department KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
Masilya, Mulungula; Centre for Research in Biodiversity, Ecology, Evolution and Conservation (CRBEC) Bukavu Democratic Republic of the Congo ; Unité d'Enseignement et de Recherche en Hydrobiologie Appliquée (UERHA), Biology Department Institut Supérieur Pédagogique de Bukavu (ISP) Bukavu Democratic Republic of the Congo
Bouillon, Steven; Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences KU Leuven Leuven Belgium ; Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation of Amphibians (LECA), Freshwater and OCeanic Science Unit of reSearch (FOCUS) University of Liège Liège Belgium
Lejeune, Benjamin ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution > Laboratoire d'Écologie et de Conservation des Amphibiens (LECA) ; Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
Language :
English
Title :
Insight Into Trophic Niche Differentiation in Labeobarbus (Cyprinidae) in the Luhoho Basin (Upper Congo Basin).
This work was supported by Koninklijk Museum voor Midden-Afrika and International Foundation for Science, IFS (Grants 5787_A and A-5787-2). We are indebted to many persons who contributed to the data collection from the field to the laboratory. Fishermen and collaborators are warmly thanked. Itaji Waishire, baba Solo, Beauf Shehe, La Vie Buterezi and other lovely people with whom we enjoyed and abided by pains and daunting fieldwork. C. Morana is thanked for his help during isotopic analyses. PhD students and technicians (2018) at the Soil and Water Management Division at KU Leuven are thanked for the moments we spent together. M. Dusabe from Rwanda is acknowledged for her valuable help in aquatic insect identification. Field and lab works were financially supported by the Mbisa Congo I (2013-2018) and II projects (2019-2023) and the International Foundation for Science (IFS: 5787_A and A-5787-2).This work was supported by Koninklijk Museum voor Midden\u2010Afrika and International Foundation for Science, IFS (Grants 5787_A and A\u20105787\u20102). Funding:We are indebted to many persons who contributed to the data collection from the field to the laboratory. Fishermen and collaborators are warmly thanked. Itaji Waishire, baba Solo, Beauf Shehe, La Vie Buterezi and other lovely people with whom we enjoyed and abided by pains and daunting fieldwork. C. Morana is thanked for his help during isotopic analyses. PhD students and technicians (2018) at the Soil and Water Management Division at KU Leuven are thanked for the moments we spent together. M. Dusabe from Rwanda is acknowledged for her valuable help in aquatic insect identification. Field and lab works were financially supported by the Mbisa Congo I (2013\u20102018) and II projects (2019\u20102023) and the International Foundation for Science (IFS: 5787_A and A\u20105787\u20102).
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