Food
and feeding habits of Nemipterus japonicus and Nemipterus peronii
from coastal water of Bintulu, Sarawak, South China Sea
N.
Tonnie1, M.K. Abu Hena1*, M. H. Idris2, A.H.
Rajaee1, S.M.N. Amin3 and M. H. Nesarul1, 4
1Department of
Animal Science and Fishery, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences,
Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Sarawak Campus-97008 Bintulu, Malaysia
2School of
Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030
Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia
3Department of
Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM
Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
4Institute of Marine
Sciences and Fisheries, University of Chittagong, Chittagong-4331, Bangladesh
*Corresponding
Author E-mail: hena71@yahoo.com
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Key
words
Feeding habits
Nemipterus japonicus
Nemipterus peronii
Numerical method
Stomach fullness
Publication Data
Paper received : 22.04.2017
Revised received : 20.06.2017
Re-revised received :
05.07.2017
Accepted : 28.12.2017?
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Abstract
Aim: Knowing that
feeding habit of fishes is important for ecosystem management and
conservation purposes. In this regard, a total of 240 fish stomachs of each
species of Nemipterus japonicas (11.9-26.0 cm in length) and Nemipterus
peronii (11.6 -25.3 cm in length) from the coastal area of Bintulu were
examined monthly for one year from April 2013 to March 2014. ?
Methodology: Food items were
analyzed using frequency of occurrence, numerical and fullness methods. Each
species were grouped into three different length sized groups (large, medium
and small). The degree of stomach fullness was classified into five
categories (empty, one quarter full, half full, three quarter full and full).
?
Results: N. japonicus
was an active feeder with a higher percentage (38.03%) of full stomachs,
while N. peronii was poor feeder with higher percentage (27.05%) of
one-quarter full stomachs. Diet composition contained seven major categories
that included fish, crustaceans, molluscs, echinoderms, polychaetes, nematodes
and unidentified food items. Crustaceans (mainly crabs) were preferred in
both the N. japonicus and N. peronei at 13.54-35.71% of
occurrence and 13.07-33.56%, respectively. Food items in both the species
varied with season with maximum in intermediate and minimum in wet season.
Interpretation: Findings revealed
that N. japonicas and N. peronii are carnivorous, and may
change their feeding habits from shrimp to crabs, and then to fish as they
grow.
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conclusions enforced or derived, rest completely with the author(s).
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