Morphology of the diet in the gut of threatened yellow catfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Horabagrus brachysoma</Emphasis> (Gunther 1864) at two life stages |
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Authors: | G Prasad P H Anvar Ali |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Zoology, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram, 695 581, Kerala, India |
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Abstract: | The diet composition of fingerlings and adults of Horabagrus brachysoma, a threatened, freshwater catfish, endemic to South India, collected from the Periyar River of Kerala in south India was
studied using standard methods. The results of the stomach content analysis revealed that the species is an omnivore, predominantly
feeding on animal matter in the young stage and plant matter in the adult stage. Based on the findings of the present study,
it can be concluded that H. brachysoma collected from Periyar River is a benthophagic omnivore and that adults prefer dietary fractions of plant origin over animal
tissues. An ontogenic diet shift from carnivorous to more pronounced omnivorous nature is exhibited by the fish. The fish
is adapted for a wide spectrum of feeding habits including the ability to digest all major types of nutrients and these findings
will help to formulate a more economically viable and nutritionally balanced diet for the artificial rearing of this cultivable
catfish. |
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Keywords: | Allochthonous Omnivore Euryphagous Ontogenic diet shift Threatened yellow catfish |
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