Ecology of Sillago ciliata
 
Main Ref. Coleman, N., 1980
Remarks Occur in coastal beaches, sandbars and surf zones as well as open bays, estuaries and coastal lakes; specimens have occasionally been taken in offshore waters to 40 m during winter. May be said to live exclusively on sandy ground. Adults gather around the mouths of estuaries, bars and pits, in depths down to 5 m. Juveniles inhabit shallow areas with some seagrass (Ref. 6205). Sand whiting forage for burrowing or benthic animals by using their conical snout to plough through sand or mud (Ref. 6390). Juveniles (1-5 cm FL) favour unvegetated, marine habitats as nursery areas (West & King, 1996) in northern New South Wales, and in Botany Bay, Zostera seagrass beds are important habitats (Ref. 6223). Food selection changes with fish size (smaller fish eat fewer polychaetes; larger fish eat a lot of bivalves and yabbies (Ref. 6390).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

Marine - Neritic Marine - Oceanic Brackishwater Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies
  • supra-littoral zone
  • littoral zone
  • sublittoral zone
  • epipelagic
  • mesopelagic
  • epipelagic
  • abyssopelagic
  • hadopelagic
  • estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas
  • mangroves
  • marshes/swamps
  • rivers/streams
  • lakes/ponds
  • caves
  • exclusively in caves
Highighted items on the list are where Sillago ciliata may be found.

Habitat

Substrate Benthic; Soft Bottom Hard Bottom;
Substrate Ref.
Special habitats Beds: sea grass;
Special habitats Ref.

Associations

Ref.
Associations
Associated with
Association remarks
Parasitism

Feeding

Feeding type mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up)
Feeding type Ref. Burchmore, J.J., D.A. Pollard, M.J. Middleton, J.D. Bell and B.C. Pease, 1988
Feeding habit hunting macrofauna (predator)
Feeding habit Ref. Burchmore, J.J., D.A. Pollard, M.J. Middleton, J.D. Bell and B.C. Pease, 1988
Trophic Level(s)
Estimation method Original sample Unfished population Remark
Troph s.e. Troph s.e.
From diet composition 3.24 0.15 3.12 0.28 Troph of juv./adults from 2 studies.
From individual food items 3.36 0.47 Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref. Burchmore, J.J., D.A. Pollard, M.J. Middleton, J.D. Bell and B.C. Pease, 1988
(e.g. 346)
(e.g. cnidaria)
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