Chesapeake Science Vol. 16, No. 2, p. 104 114, June 1975 Food Habits of Five Species of Young Southeastern United States Estuarine Sciaenidae R. R. STICKNEY, G. L. TAYLOR, AND D. B. WHITE Skidaway Institute of Oceanography P. O. Box 13687 Savannah, Georgia 31406 ABSTRACT: The food habits of five species of the family Sciaenidae, Bairdiella chrysura, Cynoscion regalis. Leiostomus xanthurus. Micropogon undulatus and Stellifer lanceolatus, were examined in specimens of less than 200 mm standard length collected in estuaries between Georgetown, South Carolina, and Jacksonville, Florida. B. chrysura, M. undulatus and S. lanceolatus did not appear to be highly selective in their food habits; C. regalis fed heavily on the mysid shrimp, Neomysis americana, and on fish; and L. xanthurus was selective toward harpacticoid and calanoid copepods. The food habits of the five species of fish examined were relatively constant with season and location within the estuary; however, in general, larger food organisms were consumed as the sciaenids increased in size. The exception was L. xanthurus which maintained the same food habits at all sizes examined. Introduction Species within the families Sciaenidae and Bothidae dominate the fish populations of Southeastern United States Atlantic estuar- ies. The estuaries between Georgetown, South Carolina and Jacksonville, Florida are somewhat unique, being composed of a series of barrier islands separated by sounds and surrounded by tidal rivers and creeks which may extend several kilometers inland depend- ing upon maximum tidal ranges and local relief. Upland drainage has relatively few sources, with most streams being limited to the estuarine zone. The tidal range in the region varies from approximately two to three meters at spring tide maxima with the least amplitude occurring at the northern and southern extremes of the study area. Exten- sive areas of saltmarsh, dominated by Spar- tina aherniflora, and in some cases Juncus romerianus, occur throughout the region. This paper presents information on the food habits of five species of young (less than 200 mm standard length) sciaenids, Bairdiella chrysura (silver perch), Cynoscion regalis (weak fish), Leiostomus xanthurus (spot), Mi- cropogon undulatus (Atlantic croaker) and Stellifer lanceolatus (star drum). M. un- dulatus and S. lanceolatus were captured during each season of the year, whercas the other three species were not present in any of the samples taken during the spring. Of the five species, all with the exception of S. lanceolatus are well distributed throughout the estuary. S. lanceolatus appears to bc restricted to the lower rcaches of the rivers, the sounds and the nearshore waters and does not occur upstream in low salinity waters. The majority of the S. lanceolatus obtained during this study came from the lower reaches of the Savannah River where bottom salini- ties in excess of 20 o/oo were the rule (Stick- ney and Miller 1974). Various microhabitats occur within thc study area, although in general two types of habitat were sampled. The sounds are charac- terized by sand or sand-shell substratcs, whereas the rivers generally havc mud or firm clay substrates. Thc .saLinity regime in both types of habitat is regulated by numerous factors including the source and extent of upstream runoff and the degree of recent precipitation in the immediate vicinity. Most 104