Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

FOOD AND FEEDING HABITS OF BANDED PEARL SPOT ETROPLUS SURATENSIS (BLOCH 1790) (TELEOSTEI: CICHLIDAE) FROM THAMIRABARANI RIVER, WESTERN GHATS OF INDIA

A. Pon Saravana Kannan, B. Sundaramoorthy, P. Jawahar, N. Jayakumar and S. Santhosh Kumar

Abstract

Study of food and feeding habits of fishes is of great importance in understanding migration, growth and seasonal variations in conditions. The present investigation was carried out during June 2012 to May 2013 on food and feeding habits analysis of Etroplus suratensis collected from Manimutthar, Tirunelveli, Srivaikundam, situated in Thamirabarani riverine system (8° 42’N and 77.15° 24’E) of Western Ghats of India. A total of 130 specimens of E. suratensis were collected to analyze the gut contents to understand their food and feeding habits. From this it is evident that this species is mostly a planktivore and switches to omnivorous feeding habits.