| Autor: |
Kim K; Department of Pet Health Care, Busan Health University, Busan 49318, Republic of Korea., You KA; Water Environment Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea., Kim JH; EcoResearch Incorporated, Gongju 32588, Republic of Korea., Park SH; EcoResearch Incorporated, Gongju 32588, Republic of Korea., Baek SH; EcoResearch Incorporated, Gongju 32588, Republic of Korea., Jeong KS; Department of Nursing Science, Busan Health University, Busan 49318, Republic of Korea., Joo GJ; Department of Integrated Biological Science, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea., Jo H; Department of Pet Health Care, Busan Health University, Busan 49318, Republic of Korea. |
| Abstrakt: |
Understanding the ecological characteristics of endangered species is essential for their management and conservation. The dark sleeper ( Odontobutis obscurus ) is a carnivorous freshwater fish that has been designated an endangered species in South Korea because of its highly restricted habitat range and small population size. However, ecological research on prey items for this species remains severely limited globally, posing challenges for establishing conservation measures such as translocation management. In this study, the food sources and feeding strategies of O. obscurus were identified through non-invasive faecal DNA metabarcoding. A total of 24 O. obscurus specimens were collected from Sanyang Stream on Geoje Island, and faecal DNA was amplified using mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) primer. As a result, 13 prey items were identified, comprising fish and benthic invertebrates. Dietary metrics revealed the overall food composition and major food source of O. obscurus , and the Costello method enabled graphical diet analysis, suggesting that O. obscurus is a generalist, feeding on a wide variety of food sources. The food selectivity index suggested that O. obscurus prefers specific prey items, such as genus Misgurnus , Zacco (fish), Radix (gastropod), and Ephemera (mayfly). This molecular method facilitated the diet analysis of an endangered fish species that cannot undergo dissection, providing crucial information for their management, particularly regarding translocation efforts. |
