Natural diet of Macrobrachium brasiliense (Crustacea, Decapoda) in a Cerrado stream

ABSTRACT Knowledge about the diet of a given species is essential to provide information on growth and maintenance populations in natural environment. Macrobrachium brasiliense (Heller, 1862) freshwater prawn widely distributed Brazil, being frequent aquatic environments inserted Cerrado biome. The aim this study was evaluate population M. brasiliense, comparing consumed food items according sex, seasonality body size individuals. Monthly collections were carried out between September 2018 August 2019. individuals collected had their sex identified length cephalothorax measured. Stomach content assessed based degree repletion, method points frequency occurrence. There high plant material stomach contents smaller but significant insects. no differences regarding males females dry rainy seasons. It observed an increase total insect consumption with brasiliense. A preference for Trichoptera recorded both sampling periods females. results obtained confirm omnivorous suggest that composition proportion may vary depending availability