A note on the food of Malabar travally, Carangoides malabaricus (Bloch & Schneider) from the north-western Bay of Bengal

Abstract

Carangoides malabaricus(Bloch & Schneider) is the most important carangid landed by the trawlers operating in the north-western Bay of Bengal. It is observed in the trawl catches at all hours of the day. Preliminary observations on the food and feeding habits of the fish collected during 1964-66 show that it is essentially a carnivore and a column feeder and that Acetes, prawns, Squilla, crabs and miscellaneous small fishes are the important items of food besides small quantities of mysids, amphipods, other crustaceans, squids and cuttle fish.