Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Food and feeding habits of Oratosquilla nepa (Crustacea- Stomatopoda)

Volume 38 Issue 1&2

A. Sreelatha and P. A. John

Abstract

The seasonal fluctuations in the dietary components of Ortosquilla nepn have been studied on the basis of analyses of the gut contents over a period of one year from June 1984 to May 1985. Modified 'points' method was adopted for the quantitative estimation of the dietay items. A quantitative analysis of the diet when combined with a qualitative analysis reveals that 0. nepa is a bottom.feeding carnivore. This niche does not seem to alter either with size, sex or season. Under strict confinement in the laboratory, cannibalistic tendency was observed. Not much difference was noticed in the preference on the major items of food in the different length groups.

Keywords

Oratosquilla nepa, length groups, dietry components

Date : 30-12-1996