Changes in gut gross morphology of traíra, Hoplias malabaricus (Teleostei, Erythrinidae) during long-term starvation and after refeeding.

Adult traíra (Hoplias malabaricus) were submitted to different periods of food deprivation (from 30 to 240 days) and refed for 30 days after 90 and 240 days of starvation. Stomach length remained constant during all the experimental period. However, the intestine length was significantly reduced after 30 days of food deprivation. Normal length was not recovered after refeeding. The number of pyloric caeca did not change significantly. Conversely, caeca thickness decreased after 150 days of starvation and their length decreased after 180 days. After refeeding, however, the pyloric caeca recovered original thickness. In fish refed after 240 days of starvation the length of these structures seemed to present compensatory growth, becoming longer than in the control group.