Pages: (49-73 )
Abstract
The morphometrics, food and feeding habit analysis of mudskipper (Periophthalmus barbarus) was carried out between February 2021 to June 2021 in the Lagos Lagoon. A total of 400 P. barbarus individuals were collected at four different sampling sites around University of Lagos. The total lengths and weights P. barbarus ranged between 2.0g – 35.0g and 4.4cm – 14.6cm (Site A), 2.0g – 40.0g and 5.5cm – 15.5cm (Site B), 2.0g – 38.0g and 4.3cm – 21.2cm (SITE C), 2.0g – 36.0g and 5.1cm – 15.5cm. The mean value of total length across site A-D were 8.69 ± 2.03, 9.64 ± 2.40, 10.92 ± 3.40 and 10.16 ± 2.50 respectively. P. barbarus. Length weight allometric coefficients (b) of 2.08 (Arts Area), 3.14 (New Hall), 2.05 (Guest House) and 2.45 (VC’s lodge) were recorded respectively. The condition factor ranged from 0.40 – 3.52 (1.10 ± 0.49) Arts Area, 0.43 – 2.40 (1.08 ± 0.34) New Hall, 0.20 – 3.03 (1.07 ± 0.51) Guest House and 0.35 – 4.37 (1.15 ± 0.62) VC’s Lodge. The morphometric analysis exerted a significant positive correlation among the total length and body weight (r=0.6345 Arts Area and r=0.777 Guest house) while New hall, VC’s Lodge exhibited a stronger positive correlation (r=0.8355) and (r=0.8725) respectively, total length and standard length exerted a highly positive correlation (r=0.964 Arts Area), (r=0.965 New Hall), (r=0.974 Guest house) and (r=0.966 VC’s lodge). Food items found in the stomach across all four sites were fish scales, crustacean appendages, detritus, polychaeta, insect parts, bivalve shells and algae which indicated that the species is an omnivore.
Keywords: Food items length, weight, morphometric, mudskipper,