Open AccessFeeding aspects of the dolphin Cmyphaena hippurus Linnaeus, 1758 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Author(s) -
Bernabé Aguilar Palomino,
Felipe Galván Magaña,
Leonardo Andrés Abitía Cárdenas,
Arturo F. Muhlia Melo,
Juan Eduardo Romero
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
ciencias marinas
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.215
H-Index - 29
eISSN - 2395-9053
pISSN - 0185-3880
DOI - 10.7773/cm.v24i3.758
Subject(s) - fishery , predation , pelagic zone , geography , trophic level , predator , crustacean , biology , ecology
The analysis of the stomach contents of 500 dolphinfish Coryphaena hippurus is presented. The fish were caught from the shoreline to 25 miles off Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Fifty-one prey were identifíed from the food items of the dolphinfish, which pertain to three categories: fishes, cephalopods and crustaceans and, according to the index of relative importance, represent 56.3%, 23.1% and 20.6%, respectively. Of the 51 prey, 18 represented 97%. Dosidicus gigas, Pleuroncodes planipes, Balistes polylepis. Cypselurus callopterus and Auxis spp. contributed 70% of the food supply. The dolphinfish is characterized as a top predator or a highly voracious organism with a wide trophic spectrum. Its food habits tend to be closely related to the epipelagic environment.