Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

FEEDING BIOLOGY OF THE OF INDIAN MACKEREL, RASTRELLIGER KANAGURTA (CUVIER, 1817) OFF RATNAGIRI COAST, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

M.P. Bhendarkar, S.D. Naik, A.D. Sonone, H.P. Wankhade and H.D. Joshi

Abstract

Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were carried out to study the feeding habits of R. kanagurta. The analysis indicated that this species feeds mainly on zooplankton (43.56%), phytoplankton (39.93%) and algae (2.89%). The present study therefore shows that R. kanagurta is planktivorous feeder. Detailed studies on the seasonal and ontogenetic changes in the diet composition, qualitative aspects of the diets and feeding dynamics in relation to size groups starting from 10 - 12 cm to 28 - 30 cm, the food items namely phytoplankton, zooplankton, algae, miscellaneous items and semi-digested matter were in different proportions.