Variation of Food items in the Stomach Contents of two Mullets, Chelon subviridis and Valamugil buchanani, from Merbok Estuary, Kedah, Malaysia

Abstract

This study was conducted in Merbok estuary, Kedah, Malaysia during January to December 2011 to assess monthly and seasonal variation in food items in the stomach of Chelon subviridis and Valamugil buchanani. A total of 341 fish samples (225 for Chelon subviridis and 116 for Valamugil buchanani) were collected from upper zone (Lalang and Sameling Rivers) of Merbok estuary. Among the stomach contents plant materials, diatom, cyanobacteria and detritus were the main food items in both fish species. In both fishes the highest numbers of food items were found in the month of November. Chelon subviridis consumed plant materials 65.84% by number and 8.55% by frequency of occurrence in the dry season whereas 66.25% by number and 9.73% by frequency of occurrence in the wet season. On the other hand, Valamugil buchanani consumed plant materials 59.54% by number and 12.28% by frequency of occurrence in the dry season whereas 72.89% by number and 11.96% by frequency of occurrence in the wet season respectively. Monthly variations of diatom as food item between C. subviridis and V. buchanani were found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). Both of the fish species consumed more food (by numerical method) in wet season than dry season.

Komposisi dan luas relung makanan ikan belanak Chelon subviridis (Valenciennes, 1836) dan Moolgarda engeli (Bleeker, 1858) di Teluk Pabean, Kabupaten Indramayu, Provinsi Jawa Barat

“…Teluk Pabean belum pernah dilakukan. Kajian ini sudah pernah dilakukan di beberapa tempat, yaitu di danau pesisir Ghana (Blay 1995), estuari Delta Nigeria (Isangedighi et al 2009), dan estuari Merbok, Kedah, Malaysia (Fatema et al 2015a;2015b). Kajian mengenai makanan ikan belanak di Teluk Pabean perlu dilakukan karena makanan merupakan faktor yang menentukan kelangsungan hidup ikan seperti pertumbuhan dan reproduksi.…”

Food habits of two mullets inhabiting Iraqi marine waters, Northwest Arabian Gulf

“…Studies on the food and feeding habits of P. subviridis have been made by many authors in different waters around the world such as Chan and Chua [12] in different coastal locations in Malaysia; Wahab [13] in Shatt Al-Basrah Canal, Iraq; Jabir and Al-Hisnawi [14] in Khor Al-Zubair, Iraq; Mohamed et al [15] in the northwest Arabian Gulf; Lasem [16] in the Garmat Ali River, Iraq; Mohamed et al [17] in East Hammar marsh. Iraq; Mohamed and Hussain [18] in Al-Hammar marsh, Iraq; Fatema et al [19,20] in Merbok Estuary, Malaysia; Mohamed et al [21] in East Hammar marsh, Iraq; Ashiq Ur Rahman et al [22] in Parangipettai waters, India; Al-Dubakel [23] and Tahar, et al [24] in Shatt Al-Arab River, Iraq; Al Ghiffary et al [25] in Pabean Bay, Indonesia; Mohamed and Abood [26] in the Shatt Al-Arab River, Iraq; Langsa et al [27] in Lampon Estuary, Indonesia. However, few studies have been done on the diets of P. klunzengeri including Mohamed and Hussain [18] in Al-Hammar marsh; Al-Dubakel [23], Tahar, et al [24] and Mohamed and Abood [26] in Shatt Al-Arab River, Iraq.…”