Feeding behaviour of mud crab Scylla serrata in north of Sundarbans, Bangladesh

A total of 330 pieces of mud crab (Scylla serrata) were sampled from North of Sundarban, Bangladesh for one whole year from February 2014 until January 2015. The average diet item observed in the stomach consisted of bivalves (21%), detritus (12%) and gastropods (5%) with a higher amount of crustaceans (38%). It was also observed that the higher active feeding of S. serrata was during July until September while inactive feeding was observed during April until June. Bivalve and gastropod consumption by S. serrata was increased and detritus consumption was decreased in the middle of the year. Fish consumption was decreased at the end of the year. The findings of the present study suggest that S. serrata showed mostly carnivore behavior rather than being herbivorous, thus justifying the higher composition of other animal in the stomach. The result from this study would aid in the better commercial production of this commercially important mud crab species by providing the information on the feeding of. S. serrata.