Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Feeding biology of the Scad Decapterus dayi Wakiya.

Volume 21 Issue 1&2

P. V. Sreenivasan

Abstract

Decapterus dayi is a pelagic carnivore, feeding on small fishes, fish eggs and larvae, planktonic crustaceans polychaetes and molluscs. Food preference was observed towards Stolephorus spp., Leiognathus spp., Sardinella spp., larval fishes, Acetes spp., Penaeus spp., alima larvae, coipepods and Cresis sp. Small fishes prey mostly upon crustaceans while larger ones are piscivorous. Fishes formed major portion of the diet during different months and times of the day. Feeding was observed to be active in pre and post-monsoon months while it was poor during monsoon. Neither stages of maturity nor time of the day had much influence on feeding.

Based on the food preference and feeding behaviour of D. dayi introduction of light fishing in the exploitation of the scad is suggested

Date : 31-12-1979