Morphology of the alimentary tract in relation to diet among gobioid fishes

Summary

The morphology and general course of the alimentary canal, the relative length, number and morphology of the gill rakers, and the pattern of the buccal and pharyngeal dentition in 20 species of gobioids belonging to 3 families are studied. The food of the species studied is analysed from gut contents. Depending on the predominance of different food items in the gut the fishes can be categorized into herbivores feeding on algae, omnivores on algae, crustaceans or fish any of which may be dominant and detritivores on soft benthic ooze. The morphology of the alimentary canal, the R.L.G., the morphology of the gill rakers and the pattern of buccal and pharyngeal dentition are found to be related to the food of the fishes.