DIEL FEEDING CHRONOLOGY OF SIX FISH SPECIES IN ANCHUTHENGUBACKWATER,KERALA
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Authors
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S. D. Ritakumari
Departnzent of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala,
Thiruvananthapuram- 695 581,
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B. Rajukumar
Departnzent of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala,
Thiruvananthapuram- 695 581
Abstract
The study examined diel feeding chronology of six fish species in
Anchuthengu Backwater, Kerala. Over the 24-h period, more or less same
items contributed to the diet of Arius arius. Mugil cephalus exhibited
substantial diel variation in diet composition, with algae forming the main
dietary component in the diurnal diet, and prawns in the crepuscular and
nocturnal diets. Algae and rotifers formed the main food items throughout the 24-h feeding period in Hyporhamphus xanthopterus. No change was noticed in the diel diet composition in Ambassis commersonii. While Caranx ignobilis showed no diel variation, Gerrus lucidus that feeds on a variety of prey items seemed to exhibit some diel variation in feeding. All the fish examined had diurnal feeding peaks. The results indicate that because of diel variation in diet composition and feeding periodicity for these six species, dietary analysis conducted at only one interval would not provide an accurate representation of the diet of these species.
keywords: Dietary analysis, diel variation, feeding periodicity
