Study of the diet of Luciobarbus callensis at Soubella dam and Oued l'Ham in the M'Sila region (Algeria)

This research focused on the diet of the barbel Luciobarbuscallensisin two distinct environments in M'sila region of Algeria, Soubella dam and Oued El-Ham. By analyzing the digestive contents of 117 specimens from Oued El-Ham and 107 from Soubella dam over the period from January to December 2023, the study revealed a clear diversity in the diet of this species, divided into two main categories: an animal component, including zooplankton and insects, and a plant component, mainly represented by filamentous algae. However, we observed significant differences between the two sites. At Oued El-Ham, copepods were the most abundant among the zooplankton, accompanied by macro invertebrates such as Corixidae and Dytiscidae, while at Soubella dam, Baetidae and copepods constituted the main food resources. The emptiness coefficient, an indicator of the percentage of empty digestive tracts, showed pronounced seasonal variations, with higher values in winter (9.4% at Oued El-Ham and 12.15% at Soubella) and lower values in summer (1.71% and 1.87%, respectively). This study reveals that seasonal variations strongly influence the omnivorous diet of Luciobarbus callensis in the two studied environments.