Abstract
We evaluated the feeding ecology of largehead hairtail (Trichiurus lepturus) and hairtail (T. margarites). We collected specimens from fishing ports in the Beibu Gulf (Gulf of Tonkin) from October 2008 to September 2009 and analyzed their gut contents. We collected 857 T. lepturus and 666 T. margarites samples. The number of stomachs examined in this study was sufficient to describe the monthly and ontogenetic diet shifts for the two species, as indicated by the trophic diversity curves. T. lepturus was a general omnivore, feeding primarily on Bregmaceros rarisquamosu, Decapterus maruadsi, and Acetes chinensis. Conversely, T. margarites preyed primarily on D. maruadsi, B. rarisquamosus, B. nectabanus, and A. chinensis. Both species exhibited distinct ontogenetic diet shifts. Although the two hairtail specie fed on similar sources in the same habitat, the diet overlap was relatively low. Our results suggest that hairtail play an important role in controlling small pelagic and benthic fish populations in the gulf. This trophic correlation shall be used for developing a marine ecosystem model for the Beibu Gulf.
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