Abstract

Diel and seasonal trends in the diets of the crayfishes Orconectes luteus and O. punctimanus were examined in an Ozark stream using stable isotopes and gut­content analysis. Allochthonous detritus was the primary ultimate carbon source for these crayfishes and the most frequently consumed food type during all seasons. Use of benthic algae, especially filamentous algae, increased during the warmer months. Animal matter consumed by crayfishes consisted primarily of chironomids and mayflies, with cannibalism being uncommon during all seasons. The frequency of occurrence of animal matter was higher among individuals collected at night, while the percentage of crayfishes with empty foreguts decreased at night, suggesting that crayfishes fed more actively after sunset.

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