Microfibers in the gut of invasive armored catfish (Pterygoplichthys spp.) (Actinopterygii: Siluriformes: Loricariidae) in an urban lake in the floodplain of the Grijalva River basin, Mexico

Abstract

The intake of microplastics by freshwater fishes has been scarcely studied, and it is not yet clear whether the amount of particles these vertebrates ingest is associated with their feeding strategies. Hence, this study is focused on the suckermouth armored catfish (Pterygoplichthys spp.) under the hypothesis that, due to its detritivorous habits and demersal distribution, it may show evidence of the presence of microplastics in the sediments of a lake located in the Metropolitan Area of Villahermosa. A total of 21 organisms contained plastic microfibers throughout their digestive systems. These were treated with three solutions (hydrogen peroxide, potassium hydroxide, and sodium hypochlorite) to separate the microplastics. A total of 147 plastic particles of two categories were collected: microfibers (92%) and fragments (8%). Considering these results, as well as evidence in the literature, these species may constitute a global indicator of the incorporation into the trophic chain of microfibers deposited in the sediments of freshwater ecosystems.