Content area
Full Text
Background
Mudskippers (Order Perciformes; Family Gobiidae) are morphologically and physiologically well-adapted amphibious fish capable of living on land and in water. From ecological point of view, mudflat environment is very important for mudskippers where they actively feed during the exposure of mudflat at low tide. At the same time they are not able to feed during high tide due to submergence of the mudflat. However, mudskippers remain inside of their burrow which protects them from predators (Milward, 1974). Investigations on food and feeding habits of the mudskippers reveal them either as herbivores (Ryu et al., 1995) or carnivores (Milward, 1974; Colombini et al., 1996). Information is available on gobiid fishes with reference to food and feeding habits (Stebbins and Kalk, 1961; Gordon et al., 1968; El-Zaidy et al., 1975; Sarkar et al., 1980). More recently, interspecific comparison of diets has been made in relation to competition (Ip et al., 1990). Colombini et al (1995) described that foraging strategy of the mudskipper (Periophthalmus sobrinus) take place entirely out of water on the mud surface or at the tidal edge. Study of the diet based upon the analysis of stomach contents is now a standard practice in fish biology. Review of methods and their application on stomach contents analysis was made by Hynes (1950), Pillay (1952), and Hyslop (1980). The morphology of the alimentary tract in relation to diet among gobioid fishes was studied by Geevargheese (1983). The mudskipper, Boleophthalmus boddarti is a distinct residential fish which constructs burrows for sheltering along the mudflats of Pichavaram mangroves, Southeast coast of India. Ananda Rao et al (1998) stated the vulnerability of the mudskipper, B. boddarti while Ravi (2005 and 2011) reported the loss of mudflat and mudskipper population along the Southeast coast of India. Therefore, the objective of the present study is to investigate food preference of B. boddarti according to their life stages and sexes by using stomach content analysis.
1 Results
Various food substances of juvenile, male and female mudskippers (B. boddarti) during different seasons are presented in Table 1. Diatoms formed the major food item of B. boddarti and found around 55% of its diet throughout the year. In juvenile fishes, the nematodes, polychaetes, algae and fish eggs were also found constituting lower percentage. In...