Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Food and feeding habits of Sergeant major, Abudefduf vaigiensis (Quoy and Gaimard, 1825) from shallow waters off Visakhapatnam

Volume 48 Issue 1

G.V.S.Sudhakar and A. Shameem

Abstract

Results of a qualitative and quantitative analyses of the food of the Sergeant major Abudefduf vaigiensis from littoral waters off Visakhapatnam during the period August 2004 to July 2005 are presented. The study was based on 474 fishes of total length ranging from 42-164 mm. The food items included macro-algae, benthic invertebrates, detritus and miscellaneous items. Among macro-algae Spongomorpha sp. (13.6%) and Cltaeronlorpha sp. (13.3%) were preferred food items. Copepods constituted 9.8%. A marked variation in the food contents between juveniles (40-69 mm) and adults (70-159 mm) was observed. During April to July macro-algae was the dominant food item.

Date : 30-06-2006