|
The feeding
ecology of Mugil cephalus (Linnaeus) from a high
brackish tropical lagoon in South-west, Nigeria
Soyinka, Olufemi Olukolajo
Department of Marine Sciences, University of Lagos, Lagos,
Nigeria. E-mail:
soyinka.olufemi@gmail.com,
acadsoyinka@yahoo.com.
Tel: +2348033808071.
Accepted 30 September, 2008 |
|
The diet of the grey mullet (Mugil cephalus L.) was
investigated in the Lagos Lagoon (high brackish) habitat in
Nigeria from February 2004 – January 2006. The highest
number of empty stomachs was recorded in October 2004, while
the lowest was in December 2005. The highest number of empty
stomachs was recorded in the small sized group (Standard
length, 4.5 – 12.4 cm), while the least occurred in the
large sized (Standard length, 20.5 – 28.4 cm). The fish fed
throughout the year with no remarkable seasonal variation in
the type of food consumed. Ten major food items were
identified: algae, diatoms, desmids, plant materials,
annelids, crustaceans, bivalves, fishes, detritus and sand
grain. The small and large sized-fish groups did not feed on
desmids and annelids throughout the investigation.
Key words:
Lagos Lagoon, Mugil cephalus, stomach contents, food
items, detritus. |
