Prejuveniles of Mugil liza (Actinopterygii; Fam. Mugilidae) show digestive and metabolic flexibility upon different postprandial times and refeeding.

Many animals face periods of feeding restrictions implying fasting and refeeding. The determination of digestive/metabolic and body condition parameters at different times of food deprivation and after refeeding allows to evaluate the postprandial dynamics, the transition from feeding to fasting and the capacity to reverse digestive and metabolic alterations. In spite of its physiological importance, studies on estuarine-dependent detritivore fish are lacking. We determined total mass (TM), relative intestine length (RIL), hepatosomatic index (HSI), digestive enzymes activities in the intestine and energy reserves in liver and muscle at 0, 24, 72, 144 and 240 h after feeding and at 72 h after refeeding in prejuveniles of Mugil liza (Mugilidae) as a model species. After feeding, a decrease occurred in: TM (144 h, 25%), RIL (144 h, 23%); amylase and maltase (72 h, 45 and 35%), sucrase (24 h, 40%) and lipase (24 h, 70%) in intestine; glycogen and free glucose (72 h, 90 and 92%) in liver. In muscle, glycogen (72-144 h) and free glucose (144 h) (170% and 165%, respectively) peak increased; triglycerides decreased at 24-240 h (50%). After refeeding TM, RIL, carbohydrases activities in intestine, glycogen and free glucose in liver were recovered. In muscle, glycogen and free glucose were similar to 0 h; lipase activity and triglycerides were not recovered. Trypsin and APN in intestine, triglycerides in liver, protein in liver and muscle and HSI did not change. The differential modulation of key components of carbohydrates and lipid metabolism after feeding/refeeding would allow to face fasting and recover body condition. Our results improve lacking knowledge about digestive and metabolic physiology of detritivore fish.