FOOD AND FEEDING-HABITS OF 4 SPECIES OF JUVENILE MULLET (MUGILIDAE) IN A TIDAL LAGOON IN GHANA

Juvenile mugilid fishes, Liza falcipinnis, L. dumerilii, Mugil bananen sis and M. curema, which enter the Elmina Lagoon in the Cape Coast Dis trict of Ghana, have a similar diet comprising mainly bacteria, diatom s. blue-green/green algae, protozoans, detritus and particulate organi c matter. No seasonal changes in the diet and feeding activity were ob served. The relative gut length (intestine to standard length ratio) a nd diet showed no significant changes with size of fish in all the spe cies. All four species were diurnal feeders, but their peak feeding ti mes differed. Interspecific competition for food was possibly limited by species preferences for substrate particles of particular size rang e and differences in feeding chronology.