Diet composition and feeding strategy of Nemipterus japonicus Bloch, 1791 from Tha-baw-seik, Myanmar

Abstract

Food composition of Nemipterus japonicus was studied by analyzing about 600 specimens from Tha-baw-seik (Lat. 14° 05' and long. 98° 05' E), Myanmar during October 2016 to September 2017. Based on the stomach content analysis, the relative importance index (IRI value) was calculated, and the predator feeding strategies were conducted during the study period. This study showed that N. japonicus is a generally demersal carnivore, and its trophic spectrum was composed of 23 food items. Among them, algae had not been described as a food item for N. Japonicus in the other previous studies. Crustaceans were the most dominant diet in the guts in term of the IRI value. Also, fish items were commonly the most dominant food followed by prawn, crab, and Acetes spp in all length groups but sex variation had no significant food changes with their IRI value.