Daily feeding periodicity of the intertidal goby Caffrogobius caffer

Abstract

The daily feeding periodicity of Caffrogobius caffer was investigated at three sites in the eastern Cape. Two 24-h collections were taken at each collection site. Three methods were used to examine stomach contents. Relative stomach fullness was assessed for all six collections, while back-calculated time of ingestion and dry mass of the stomach contents as a percentage of dry somatic mass were applied to two collections each. The results from the three methods were similar. Feeding activity of C. caffer was not influenced by tide phase; peaks of feeding occurred during both high and low tide. Feeding occurred throughout the day with a tendency for slight crepuscular peaks of feeding activity.