Abstract
This study was carried out to determine the food and feeding habits of African carp (Labeo senegalensis, Valenciennes, 1842) in River Rima Sokoto, Nigeria. A total number of 122 samples were collected between June and December 2012 from the fishermen of the Kwalkwalawa fish landing site of River Rima. The food materials of the species were analyzed by the frequency of occurrence method. The structural feeding adaptations of the species were assessed to further confirm the feeding habits of L. senegalensis. The total length of the samples ranged from 17.80 to 30.10cm with a
mean of 25.88±3.279SD and the total weight ranged from 48.20 to 270g with a mean of 155.62±57.678SD. Gut length ranged from 111.00 to 240.00cm with a mean of 144.114±27.43SD. The stomach content analysis showed that the species was an herbivorous detritivore, feeding mainly on plant materials such as Lymnaea, Potamonautes, worms, and algae. Observations on the feeding structures such as the presence of inferior mouth, toothless jaws, palatal and pharyngeal teeth, fine gill rakers, small stomach and long coiled intestine of about six times the total body length
further confirmed the aforementioned feeding habits of L. Senegalensis in River Rima, North-Western Nigeria.
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