Aspects of food intake, food selection, and alimentary canal morphology of mugil cephalus (Linnaeus, 1958), Liza Tricuspidens (Smith, 1935), L. Richardsoni (Smith, 1846), and L. Dumerili (Steindachner, 1869)

Abstract Feeding periodicity, selection efficiency and food consumption of Liza dumerili (Steindachner, 1869) and L. richardsoni (Smith, 1846) were determined. The effects of particle size and nature of ingested food on aspects of the morphology of the alimentary canal of L. dumerili, L. richardsoni, Mugil cephalu (Linnaeus, 1958) and Liza tricuspidens (Smith, 1935) are discused. It was found that the dominant mullet species in the Swartkops estuary (South Africa) not only exhibit different feeding periodicities ( L. dumerili and L. richardsoni but that selected material in all the species differs in chemical as well as physical properties. Alimentary canals of each species are morphologically well adapted for selection, ingestion and digestion of its preferredi food items. These factors reduce interspecific competition among the different mullet species.