Diet and Feeding Strategy of Northern Pike, Esox lucius L., 1758 Inhabiting A Deep Dam Lake from Located Central Anatolia, TÜRKİYE

Abstract

Fish samples were collected monthly from Dam Lake from September 2015 to August 2016 and a total of 133 northern pike, Esox lucius individuals were examined for this study. The feeding intensity showed the highest value during summer (FI = 1.59) while the lowest value was during winter (FI = 0.51). Temperature was identified as the most critical environmental variable influencing feeding intensity. The high similarity in the diet of northern pike was observed between seasons. Stomach content analysis indicated that this species consumed only prey fishes. The most eaten of prey fishes were the Tinca tinca contributing 44.83% by number and 56.16% by frequency of occurrence. There was little variation in feeding features between seasons. The northern pike more specialized on T.tinca and Atherina. boyeri. According to the findings of the study, Esox lucius was a primary predator and showed a specialist feeding behavior, feeding only on fish (mainly T. tinca and A. boyeri). Environmental prey abundance did not affect the prey selection of this fish species in Sıddıklı Dam Lake.