Journal of Environmental Biology

Food and feeding habits of Omobranchus sp. (Blenniidae: Omobranchini) larvae in the Seagrass-Mangrove ecosystem of Johor Strait, Malaysia 

Roushon Ara¹, Aziz Arshad¹*, S.M. Nurul Amin¹ and Mazlan Abd Ghaffar^{2, 3}

¹Laboratory of Fisheries Biology and Aquatic Ecology, Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

²School of Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu,

Terengganu Darul Iman, Malaysia

³Marine ecosystem research center,? Faculty of Science and Technology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

*Corresponding Author E-mail: azizar.upm@gmail.com

Publication Data

Paper received:

05 May 2015

Revised received:

10 July 2015

Accepted:

09 April 2016

Abstract

The stomach contents of Omobranchus sp. (family Blenniidae) larvae were investigated in a seagrass-mangrove based ecosystem in Johor Strait, Malaysia from October 2007 to September 2008. Specimens of larval fish were collected through subsurface towing of a Bongo net from five different stations. The stomach sacs of 267 Omobranchus sp. larvae were separated and observed, which comprised of 24 significant food stuffs belonging to 6 main groups viz. phytoplankton (62.45%), zooplankton (18.24%), algae (5.56%), plant-like particles (5.75%), debris (4.22%) and unidentified particles (2.03%). In situ water parameters were also measured throughout the sampling cruises. There was a strong and significant positive correlation between stomach phytoplankton and salinity (r = 0.658, p < 0.05).? Canonical correlation analysis indicated a weak relationship (29.8%) between stomach contents and physico-chemical parameters. Only salinity appeared to be the controlling factor for the stomach contents of Omobranchus sp. larvae in the investigated area. Based on the stomach content analysis, it could be concluded that Omobranchus sp. were mainly herbivorous during the larval stages. ?  

 Key words

Larvae, Mangrove-seagrass ecosystem, Omobranchus sp., Stomach contents

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