A comparison of the gut contents of two Cardinal Fish, <i>Fowleria vaiulae</i> (Jordan & Seale 1906) and <i>Fowleria variegata</i> (Valenciennes 1832) in seagrass beds of Palompon, Leyte

Abstract

Seagrass ecosystems support much of the Philippines’ coastal marine resources with the presence of a rich diversity of species, including the economically important ones. Understanding the diet composition of fishes through gut content analysis is essential for selecting species for aquaculture. Specimens of Fowleria vaiulae and Fowleria variegata were obtained through a trawl survey in the seagrass beds of Palompon, Leyte from November 2011 to February 2012. A total of 291 guts were analysed in this study. Results showed diet composition of both species is mostly made up of benthic invertebrates. A high percentage of chyme was observed in both species (46-65%), suggesting the consumption of easily digested materials. Also for both Fowleria species, it was observed that smaller size classes consume a higher number of small preys while larger size classes feed on larger preys. Small invertebrates such as tanaids and amphipods were more abundant in the guts of F. vaiulae and large preys of shrimps and crabs dominate the diet of F. variegata. This difference may be due to food partitioning in co-occurring species to avoid competition.