3.2 | Intestinal tissue morphology
The VH, VW and MT differed significantly among the four feeding habits
of the fish species
(Figure
1; p < .05). The intestinal microvilli of carnivorous
fish had many branches and complex structures. The order of microvilli
complexity was carnivorous > herbivorous >
filter-feeder > omnivorous. Herbivorous fish had
significantly higher VH and VHI than filter-feeder, carnivorous and
omnivorous fish species (p < .05). Similarly,
carnivorous fish had significantly higher VH and VHI than filter-feeder
and omnivorous fish species (p < .05). Likewise,
filter-feeder fish had significantly higher VH and VHI than omnivorous
fish species (p < .05). On the contrary, carnivorous
fish had significantly higher VW, MT, VWI and MTI than herbivorous,
filter-feeder and omnivorous fish species (p < .05).
Similarly, herbivorous fish had significantly higher VW, MT, VWI and MTI
than filter-feeder and omnivorous fish species (p <
.05). Likewise, omnivorous fish had significantly higher MT, VWI and MTI
than filter-feeder fish species (p < .05). However,
filter-feeder and omnivorous fish species had no significant difference
in VW (p > .05).