en Biology & physiology Biology & physiology پژوهشي Orginal research papers <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:120%"><span style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span lang="TR" style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:120%"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black">Investigating the relations and mechanisms of coexistence among sympatric species is essential to comprehend their ecological roles in the food webs. In the present study, the diet and trophic interactions of 5 abundant teleost species coexisting in the northern Oman Sea were examined using stomach contents analyses. The cumulative prey curves showed that the sample size of each studied species was large enough to clarify the general dietary preferences. The vacuity indices of <i>Netuma thalassina</i>, <i>Plicofollis dussumieri</i> and <i>Otolithes ruber</i> were less than 50%, indicating the comparatively gluttonous behavior of these species, while the estimated vacuity indices of <i>Lutjanus johnii</i> and <i>Carangoides malabaricus</i> were more than 50%. Assessment of %IRI</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:120%"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black"> (</span></span></span></span><span lang="TR" style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:120%"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black">index of relative importance</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:120%"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black">)</span></span></span></span><span lang="TR" style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:120%"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black"> revealed that diets of <i>N. thalassina</i>, <i>O. ruber</i> and <i>C. malabaricus</i> were similar and consisted mostly of teleost fishes followed by crustaceans. Conversely, <i>P dussumieri</i> and <i>L. johnii</i> mostly fed on crustaceans followed by teleost fishes. Results showed that <i>P. dussumieri</i> and <i>L. johnii</i> occupied an intermediate trophic level, whereas <i>N. thalassina</i>, <i>O. ruber</i> and <i>C. malabaricus</i> occupied high trophic levels, placing them as top predators in the food web. In total, analyses indicated that there were no significant differences in diets between these 5 teleost species.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span dir="RTL"></span> Feeding ecology, Oman Sea, Sympatric species, Teleost fish 463 479 http://jifro.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-3441-2&slc_lang=en&sid=1 M. Alimohammadi minaalimohammadi8182@gmail.com 100319475328460045553 100319475328460045553 No Department of Marine Biology, Tehran Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. T. Valinassab t_valinassab@yahoo.com 100319475328460045554 100319475328460045554 Yes Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO). Tehran, Iran. E. Ramezani-Fard eramezanifard@gmail.com 100319475328460045555 100319475328460045555 No Department of Marine Biology, Tehran Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. F. Ehteshami ehteshamei@yahoo.com 100319475328460045556 100319475328460045556 No Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO). Tehran, Iran.