Composition and abundance of the stomach contents of <i>Caranx melampygus</i> in Nabinbinan Bay, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras

Abstract

<i>Caranx melampygus</i>, a piscivore common in the Indo-Pacific, is an important diurnal predator in coral reefs, but little local information is available on the diet of this fish. This study was done to determine the diet composition and abundance of <i>C. melampygus</i> by examining the stomach contents of specimens collected every 2-4 weeks from catches of fish corals in Southern Guimaras from May 2012 to November 2013. Chyme, fishes, and shrimps were found in the guts of <i>C. melampygus</i>. The Sergestid shrimp Acetes dominated the overall prey composition, followed by penaeid shrimps, and fishes (atherinid, clupeid, engraulid). The mean food count and prey composition varied among small (6-6.9, 7-7.9, 8-8.9), medium (9-9.9, 10-10.9, 1lli.9), and large (12-12.9, 13-13.9, 14-14.9, 15-15.9) fish, suggesting that the food preference of <i>C. melampygus</i> changes as the fish grows.