Massive Amazonian characid fish can carry seeds kilometres across jungle flood plains, potentially making them one of the most important seed distributors in this habitat.
Jill Anderson, now at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and her colleagues radio-tracked 24 of the animals (Colossoma macropomum; pictured) during three flood seasons. They also monitored how long captive fish of this species retained consumed seeds.
The authors conclude that wild fish can probably carry seeds up to 5.5 kilometres — one of the longest distances reported for fruit-eating animals — often to habitats where the seeds will germinate once the flood waters recede. However, overfishing has greatly depleted the numbers of larger C. macropomum, which carry seeds farther than their smaller counterparts, and may be threatening this mode of seed dispersal.
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Feasting fish scatter seeds. Nature 471, 551 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/471551c
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/471551c
