Food and feeding strategies of the deep-sea shrimp Heterocarpus woodmasoni, Alcock 1901 (Decapoda: Pandalidae) from southwestern India

Diet composition and feeding strategies of deep-sea caridean shrimp Heterocarpus woodmasoniAlcock,1901 are described from gut contents of 4,116 specimens collected from the southwestern coast of India. Knowledge of the species diet plays a prime effect on its biological aspects and its role in the ecological energetics of the community. All the analyses were performed in accordance with ecological (season) and biological factors (sex, size, and gonadal stages). The species was found to prey on diversified components such as detritus, foraminiferans, other crustaceans, molluscs, echinoderms, and fishes in their declining order of preponderance. Multivariate analysis of variance showed a significant difference (P<0.05) in the diet components according to the combination of sex along with season and gonadal stages. Values of the gastro-somatic index (GSI) showed a positive correlation with feeding activity, and its intensity. GSI, feeding intensity, and activity reached their peak values during the post-monsoon season. High vacuity index was recorded in almost all conditions, which is a highlighted feature of this species. These observations provide fundamental information on the feeding pattern of H. woodmasoni, which aims to develop suitable fishing strategies in the future.