Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Food and feeding habits of the speckled shrimp Metapenaeus monoceros (Fabricius).

Volume 40 Issue 1&2

G. Nandakumar and R. Damodaran

Abstract

The food and feeding habits of Melapetmeus monoceros (Fabricius) from Cochin region are given in detail in this paper. Differences in food preference for this specie had been noticed between marine and brackishwater environment While M. munoceros from inshore grounds preferred polychaetes as their main food item, in Cochin backwaters, they mainly fed on crustaceans. Diurnal variation in the feeding intensity was noticed, where, M. monoceros fed more in nights than the day hours. Females in different stages of maturity were found to feed more vigomusly than the immature ones. Juveniles and adults in the inshore waters did not show any signifint differena in their food preferences. The present study shows that M. momceros is carnivomus, mainly depending on animal food items, irrespective of size and sex in marine as well as estuarine conditions.

Keywords

keywords

Date : 30-12-1998