Proximate composition analysis of the mudskipper Boleophthalmus boddarti from Cox’s Bazar, Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh

Mudskippers are ecologically important intertidal fishes, yet their nutritional value remains poorly documented in the Bay of Bengal. This study evaluated the proximate composition of the mudskipper Boleophthalmus boddarti (Pallas, 1770) collected from the Cox’s Bazar–Teknaf coast, Bangladesh, to assess its potential as an underutilised coastal food resource. A total of 270 specimens were collected from nine sampling sites between December 2023 and February 2024 and prepared as 27 site–month samples for proximate composition analysis. Moisture, ash, and protein content were analysed using the loss-on-drying, dry ashing, and Kjeldahl methods, respectively. The resulting data were analysed to evaluate spatial and temporal variations among samples. Protein was the dominant proximate component, ranging from 57.75–77.00% with a mean of 65.10 ± 4.32%. Monthly mean protein content showed a slight decline from December to February, while ash increased from 14.10 ± 2.36% to 16.73 ± 3.50%. Moisture remained comparatively stable across months, with an overall mean of 13.02 ± 2.36%. No significant spatial or temporal differences were detected for moisture, ash, or protein content (p > 0.05), indicating proximate composition stability across the sampled coastal habitats. The protein and ash values provide baseline proximate composition information for B. boddarti from the Cox’s Bazar–Teknaf coast, although these findings should not be interpreted as a complete nutritional or food-security assessment. Future studies should examine lipid quality, amino acid profiles, micronutrients, contaminants, and year-round seasonal variation to support safe consumption, value-added product development, and sustainable mudskipper fishery management.