Kebiasaan Makan Cumi-cumi (Uroteuthis sp.) pada Musim Timur di Perairan Selat Malaka Sumatera Utara

Abstract

This research on the feeding habits of squid (Uroteuthis sp.) during the eastern season in the waters of the Malacca Strait, North Sumatra, aims to determine the feeding behavior and types of food consumed by squid (Uroteuthis sp.) during the eastern season, caught in the waters of Belawan, Malacca Strait, North Sumatra. The study was conducted from July to October 2024. The method used was random sampling, by collecting samples randomly. A total of 368 squid specimens were obtained, consisting of 192 females and 176 males, with mantle lengths ranging from 85 to 435 mm. The growth pattern of squid (Uroteuthis sp.) was negative allometric, with a b value of 2.1218, which is less than 3 and indicates a flattened body shape. The highest stomach fullness index was recorded in September, with females at 1.872% and males at 1.539%. The most frequently found item in the squid’s stomach contents was fish, which also had the highest percentage index (IP) of 61.290%, making it the dominant food item across all sampling months. Phytoplankton had an IP of 35.294%, zooplankton 51.546% as complementary food, while shrimp (IP 22.580%) and squid (IP 13.0435%) were found as additional food sources.