Mudskippers are amphibious fish primarily found in the intertidal zones of mangrove forests and mudflats. These creatures possess the ability to thrive both in and out of water. Their adaptations allow them to navigate and survive in environments that regularly transition between submerged and exposed conditions.
What Mudskippers Eat
Mudskippers are primarily carnivorous, consuming a diverse array of small invertebrates found in their intertidal habitats. Their diet commonly includes worms, crickets, flies, mealworms, and beetles. Small crustaceans, such as sesarmid crabs, shrimp (Acetes spp.), and fiddler crabs (Uca spp.), are also components of their meals. Some species also prey on nematodes and even small fish.
Certain mudskipper species also incorporate plant matter and organic detritus, such as algae (including diatoms and filamentous algae) and aquatic macrophytes, into their diet. Juveniles of some species, like Periophthalmus koelreuteri, tend to be more herbivorous, feeding on plant matter before shifting to a more carnivorous diet as adults. Mudskippers are opportunistic feeders, consuming whatever food sources are readily available.
How Mudskippers Feed
Mudskippers exhibit specialized behaviors and physical adaptations that enable them to capture food both on land and in water. On exposed mudflats, they use their strong pectoral fins to move across the terrain, accessing food sources unreachable by other fish. Their keen eyesight is important for spotting small invertebrates moving on or near the mud surface.
To feed terrestrially, mudskippers employ a technique involving a “hydrodynamic tongue.” They carry a small amount of water in their mouths, which they expel onto prey and then rapidly suck back, drawing the prey into their mouth. This action, facilitated by movements of the hyoid bone, allows them to grasp and swallow items without a fleshy tongue.
Their oral jaw structures are adapted for terrestrial feeding, with the premaxilla rotating and protruding downward, and the lower jaw rotating to position the mouth parallel to the substrate, enabling them to grab or scoop prey. When feeding in water, mudskippers utilize a more typical suction feeding method, rapidly expanding their head and mouth to create a vacuum that pulls in prey. They also dig burrows, which can serve as ambush points or locations where they find food items.
Diet’s Impact on Their Ecosystem
Through their feeding habits, mudskippers play a role in the ecological balance of mangrove and mudflat environments. Their consumption of insects, larvae, and other small invertebrates helps regulate these populations within their habitats.
The feeding activities of mudskippers also contribute to nutrient cycling within their ecosystems. By consuming organic detritus, they help recycle nutrients back into the environment. Their burrowing activities can also influence sediment composition, acting as ecosystem engineers that modify their physical surroundings. Positioned as both predators of smaller organisms and prey for larger animals like birds and snakes, mudskippers serve as a link in the food web, connecting both marine and terrestrial food chains.