Authors : J.A. Meye and R.B. Ikomi
Abstract: The stomach of 521 Auchenoglanis biscutatus (Geoffrey St. Hilarie, 1827) obtained from River Orogodo were examined for food items. About 472 (90.6%) had food items in them while 49 (9.4%) were empty. Food items encountered included detritus (67.95%) green filamentous algae (57.63%), desmids (42.37%) nematode worms (52.97%), ephemetoperan nymphs (87.91%) and Pentaneura larvae (48.37%) which were most important. Other of secondary importance included Coleopteran larvae (31.78%), isoptera (14.83%), setae of oligocheates (31.78%), Cladocera (9.53%) and Ostracoda (13.98%). A. biscutatus had a euryphagous food habits, feeding on a wide variety of food items ranging from insect larvae, detritus and green filamentous algae hence, the species in River Orogodo is considered as omnivorous bottom feeder. The feeding intensity showed seasonal variation as the mean Feeding Intensity (FI) was generally higher in the rainy season than dry season months. Similarly, the dry season months had highest percentage of empty stomachs than the rainy seasons. Generally, A. biscutatus fed more in the day than night however food items were consumed at varying proportion at both day and night.
J.A. Meye and R.B. Ikomi, 2010. Food and Feeding Habits of Auchenoglanis biscutatus (Geoffrey St. Hilarie, 1827) in River Orogodo, Delta State, Nigeria. Journal of Fisheries International, 5: 67-71.