Population dynamics and feeding ecology of juvenile Australian salmon (Arripis trutta) in Westren Port, Victoria

Abstract

Juveniles (0 + age group) of both subspecies of the Australian salmon were captured over eelgrass meadows in Western Port at various times between October 1974 and February 1976. The western subspecies and the eastern subspecies were present from August through April, and December through May, respectively. The western subspecies always fed on benthic-dwelling prey including fishes, crabs and shrimps, and the eastern subspecies fed on prey which inhabited the water column (crustacean larvae, insects and epitokous polychaetes) in December but switched to benthic-dwelling prey (fishes, small squid, benthic crustaceans and polychaetes) in May. The role of different gill-raker number and morphology in effecting dietary separation of the subspecies is unclear.