The diet of Stereocyclops incrassatus Cope, 1870 (Anura: Microhylidae) tadpoles in Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia, Brazil

Tadpole diet studies based in gut content analysis provide information on the diversity of prey consumed, foraging behavior and ecological function of tadpoles. Although trophic ecology studies have increased, tadpole diet is still understudied compared to the high diversity of anurans species, especially in some families such as Microhylidae, which present great morphological and ecological diversity. In this study we describe the diet of the tadpole of Stereocyclops incrassatus , from a population in southern Bahia, Brazil. Gut contents of 15 tadpoles were analyzed under light microscope (microscopic items) and stereoscopic microscope (macroscopical items). We found 14 categories of food items in the diet of the S. incrassatus , with detritus, composed primarily of degraded plant material, representing the most important food source (69%), followed by microalgae of the phylum Bacillariophyta (18%). The other items of the diet of S. incrassatus were composed mainly of Euglenophyta, Placidozoa, Testacea, Fungi, Nematoda, animal and protozoan fragments. Thus, tadpoles of S. incrassatus are classified as detritivorous, feeding especially on organic matter. The results of the present study show that suspension-feeder tadpoles besides being primary consumers are also detritivorous, and can play an important role in nutrient cycles in freshwater trophic webs.