COMPARISON OF DIET IN BULLHEAD, COTTUS-GOBIO AND STONE LOACH, BARBATULA-BARBATULA IN A SMALL ENGLISH LOWLAND RIVER

The diet of bullhead Cottus gobio and loach Barbatula barbatula was co mpared in four types of milieu (alluvia, alluvia/Veronica sp., silt/Ve ronica sp., and Apium sp.) at three sites on the River Hiz (England). The specimens did not differ in standard length (SL) between milieu ty pes within species or age classes, but bullheads were significantly la rger at the site containing large stones. No significant differences w ere found between species in terms of percent composition or in the nu mber of items per SL. No substantial differences were found in the die t of either species between milieu types.