Food and Feeding Habits of Tenualosa Ilisha (Hamilton, 1822) From Indias Largest Brackish Water Lagoon

S. K. Karna; B. C. Guru; S. Panda

Volume : III, Issue : XII, December - 2014

Food and Feeding Habits of Tenualosa Ilisha (Hamilton, 1822) From Indias Largest Brackish Water Lagoon

S. K. Karna, B. C. Guru, S. Panda

Abstract :

A study on stomach content analysis of Tenualosa ilisha was conducted from Chilika, the largest ackish water lagoon of India during 2012. The specimens were collected seasonally and analyzed to know the preferred food items of the species in the lagoon. The study revealed that the food items recovered from the stomachs consisted of Copepods, detritus, algae, mysis, molluscan larvae, diatoms, rotifers and mud and sand particles. Out of which copepods are found the most preferred food items in all seasons. From the overall food items recovered from the stomachs of the species, copepods alone constitute 34.94% followed by detritus (29%), algae (10.47%), mysis (10.29%), molluscan larvae (4.76%). Diatoms and rotifers also observed very rarely constituted together only 3% of all food items. So, the present study indicated that Tenualosa ilisha is a microphagus and bottom feeder preferred copepods most than other food items.