Feeding Pattern of the Purple-spotted Bigeye (Priacanthus tayenus Ricardson, 1846) Based on Otolith Analysis in the Makassar Strait, Indonesia

Purple-spotted bigeye is a demersal fish that has high economic value so that it is intensively utilized by coastal communities using various fishing gear. This study aims to analyze the diet of purple-spotted bigeye (Priacanthus tayenus) through the identification of otolith types found in the stomach. Otoliths as hard structures that are resistant to digestion and have unique morphology between species are used as taxonomic indicators to reconstruct prey types. Purple-spotted bigeye fish samples were collected from the waters of the Makassar Strait, and their stomach contents were analyzed morphologically using a descriptive and comparative approach to the otolith reference collection. The stomach samples of purple-spotted bigeye observed were 45 pieces according to the number of fish dissected. The results showed that the types of otoliths found were 16 pieces consisting of sagitta, lapillus and asteriscus types. The variety of otolith types comes from 11 families, namely Mullidae, Ariidae, Apogonidae, Cynoglossidae, Moringuidae, Plotosidae, Synodontidae, Cynoglossidae, Ambassidae and Leiognathidae. The diversity of otoliths found reflects the flexibility of purple-spotted bigeye eating to the composition of prey available in its habitat. This finding shows that otolith analysis in the stomach can be used as an effective approach to identify predator feeding ecology. Sagitta type otoliths were found more than other types of otoliths, while food was dominated by the Mullidae family.