Feeding behaviour of the sawtooth barracuda, Sphyraena putnamae (Jordan and Seale, 1905) along the southeastern Arabian Sea, India

The food and feeding habits of the sawtooth barracuda, Sphyraena putnamae, from the southeastern Arabian Sea, India, were studied from 1367 specimens having a fork length range of 16.5–76 cm. The sawtooth barracuda consumed diverse prey items, which were grouped into three categories: teleosts, molluscs, and crustaceans. Teleosts were the preferred and dominant food component, while molluscs and crustaceans constituted the secondary and accessory food items, respectively. The chief constituents of the teleost group on basis of their dominance were identified to be carangids, scombrids, engraulids, leiognathids, and synodontids. The empty stomach ratio and stomach fullness index did not differ significantly between the sexes. The juveniles of both sexes exhibited a significantly higher stomach fullness index compared with the adults. A clear ontogenetic shift in the feeding pattern was observed, with only the crustaceans forming the diet in lower size class (