Temperal Changes in the Feeding of Rainbow Smelt, Osmerus mordax (Mitchill), in Western Lake Superior

Abstract

Rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordaz (Mitchill), represent the dominant species in Lake Superior. Smelt feed upon zooplankton and macroinvertebrates including the opossum shrimp, Mysis relicta and the amphipod, Pontoporeia affinis (Anderson and Smith 1971; Schneberger 1937; Baldwin 1950; Youngs and Oglesby 1972; Creaser 1929). Rainbow Smelt are piscivorous and rely heavily on yearling alewives in Lake Michigan (Foltz 1974) and larval smelt in western Lake superior (Hale 1960; Swenson 1978) are a source of energy.