Feeding studies on three species of fish from Tomales Bay, California

The study of fish diets or feeding behavior is an important aspect in ecology. Analysis of fish stomach contents often provides data for determining resource utilization, feeding strategies, and overlaps in food items among and between species. Studies of fish diets could also be used for testing ecological theory or provide management procedures for fisheries if methods could be developed for minimizing competitive food utilizations by other fish and enhancing growth of exloited fish populations (Obrebski and Sibert 1977). In order to understand more about ecological communities and competitive predatory relationships of fish, more data are required on their diets and feeding habits (Pearcy and Hancock; 1973). Detailed accounts of prey items consumed by some flatfish in the northwest Pacific are by Hagerman (1952), Kravitz et al. (1977), and Pearcy and Hancock (1978). This study examines the diet and growth of two juvenile flatfish, the English sole, Parophrys vetulus (Girard 1854) , and the Speckled sanddab, Citharichthys stiamaeus (Jordan and Gilbert 1832). In the present study the English sole and Speckled sanddab are investigated in order to determine their growth and seasonal changes in their diets, switching of food items, and overlaps of diet items between species and among size groups within species