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Diet of the A tlantic bonito S arda sarda ( B loch, 1793) in the N ortheast A egean S ea
Author(s) -
Fletcher N.,
Batjakas I. E.,
Pierce G. J.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of applied ichthyology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.392
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1439-0426
pISSN - 0175-8659
DOI - 10.1111/jai.12164
Subject(s) - engraulis , biology , predation , fish measurement , zoology , fishery , crustacean , anchovy , fish <actinopterygii> , ecology
Summary Seasonal and size‐related patterns in feeding habits of the A tlantic bonito ( S arda sarda ) in the N ortheast A egean were investigated over a 2‐year period M ay 2007 – M ay 2009 based on analysis of stomach contents of 134 fish ranging from 266–655 mm fork length. The fish were caught by purse‐seine boats operating around the islands of L esvos and C hios ( G reece). Of the stomachs examined, 46% contained at least one prey item and significant seasonal and size‐related patterns were found in the occurrence of non‐empty stomachs. The overall diet composition in terms of numerical importance was 71% fish, 28% crustaceans and 1% cephalopods. Of the fish, E ngraulidae ( E ngraulis encrasicolus ) were the dominant prey taxon, followed by C entracanthidae ( S picara spp.) and then C lupeidae ( S ardina pilchardus ). Statistically significant monthly variation in diet was apparent, suggesting that S. sarda take advantage of seasonally abundant prey fish in the study area, but no size‐related variation in the importance of the main prey species was detected.