Trophic nature and feeding relationships among al hammer marsh fishes, Southern Iraq

Abstract EN

The food habits of eleven sympatric fish species in Al-Hammer marsh were reviewed, data of previous studies on food habit were re-analyzed to calculate the diet overlap among the marsh fishes.

Most previous studies were restricted on either one or two species food habit.

Although the studies depend on different food analytical methods, similar findings were obtained for major food constituents.

Only 11 significant overlap cases out of 55 were obtained.

The eleven species were categorized into six groups depending on the priority of food items.

The specialization and less diet overlap intensity indicate adequate rich (huge) food resources availability and partitioning among the fish species.