FOOD ATSID FEEDING HABITS OF THE SNAPPER, LUTIANUS KASMIRA (FORSKAL) FROM THE ANDAMAN SEA

Abstract

The paper deals with the food and feeding habits of the snapper, Lutianus kasmira
(Forskal), a common lutianid fish around Andaman Islands. Teleost fishes, juvenile
crabs and megalopa, and young prawns constituted the chief items of the diet of the fish
in that order. Isopods, amphipods, ostracods, polychaetes, stomatopods, asteroids,
ophiuroids, gastropods, holothurians, hermit crabs, pteropods, lucifers, caprellids and
cypris contributed an insignificant percentage to the diet. The major items of the diet
of the fish did not differ significantly from year to year. No marked change in the diet
of the fish as it grew from yoting to adult was noticed. Generally active feeding was
noticed during April to October with a peak during April to August and a poor feeding
dtiring the rest of the period. The available data suggest a slackness in feeding dui'ing the
spawning season and an active feeding after spawning. Small-sized food organisms
were swallowed whole, while large-sized organisms were bitten and swallowed.
L. kasmira is essentially a column feeder occasionally resortng to feeding at the boottom.