Diet of Tetrapturus belone (Istiophoridae) in the central Mediterranean Sea

2008 ◽  
Vol 88 (1) ◽  
pp. 183-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Castriota ◽  
Maria Grazia Finoia ◽  
Silvana Campagnuolo ◽  
Teresa Romeo ◽  
Antonio Potoschi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Fast Moving ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Pelagic Fish ◽  
Frequency Of Occurrence ◽  
Ecological Role ◽  
Central Mediterranean ◽  
Pelagic Species ◽  
Central Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Active Predator

The stomach contents of 69 Mediterranean spearfish Tetrapturus belone collected in the Strait of Messina, central Mediterranean Sea were examined. Of the total specimens, caught by harpoon, only three stomachs were empty. Their diet consisted mainly of pelagic fish and cephalopods. The most important piscine prey belonged to the families of Belonidae, Clupeidae and Scomberesocidae. Cephalopods were mainly represented by Tremoctopus violaceus in terms of per cent weight and by Illex coindetii in terms of per cent frequency of occurrence. Tetrapturus belone is an active predator on epipelagic fast-moving prey and school-forming species. Its ecological role is similar to that of other large pelagic species which share the same environment.

scholarly journals Biological Aspects of Juveniles of the Common Stingray, Dasyatis pastinaca (Linnaeus, 1758) (Elasmobranchii, Dasyatidae), from the Central Mediterranean Sea

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 269
Author(s):  
Francesco Tiralongo ◽  
Giuseppina Messina ◽  
Bianca Maria Lombardo
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Ionian Sea ◽  
Central Mediterranean ◽  
Disc Width ◽  
Ecological Aspects ◽  
Central Mediterranean Sea ◽  
The Common ◽  
Biological Aspects ◽  
Index Value

Data on the biology of Dasyatis pastinaca are absent from the Ionian Sea and only a few studies were conducted in the Mediterranean Sea. Some biological and ecological aspects of D. pastinaca were investigated between November 2019 and February 2020 in the central Mediterranean Sea. In particular, we investigated several morphologic, population and ecological aspects of the species. The analysis of the stomach contents showed that D. pastinaca is a generalist carnivorous, mainly feeding on small crustaceans and polychaetes. The Levin’s index value (Bi) was 0.85. The sex ratio showed no significant differences from 1:1 ratio. Females were larger than males, but no statistical differences were found in disc width-weight and total length-disc width relationships between sexes. Most of the specimens caught were juveniles and inhabit shallow sandy bottoms.

Daily ration and feeding activity of juvenile hake in the central Mediterranean Sea

2008 ◽  
Vol 88 (7) ◽  
pp. 1493-1501 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Carpentieri ◽  
F. Colloca ◽  
G. Ardizzone
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Feeding Activity ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Western Coast ◽  
Daily Ration ◽  
Gastric Evacuation ◽  
Central Mediterranean ◽  
Migratory Activity ◽  
Central Mediterranean Sea

We investigated daily ration, feeding rhythms and gastric evacuation rates of juvenile (<16 cm total length) European hake Merluccius merluccius, using stomach samples collected during four 24-hour trawl surveys carried out in 2001–2002 on the continental shelf-break (from 120 m to 160 m in depth) off the western coast of central Italy (central Mediterranean Sea). In each survey 8 hauls of 30 minutes were performed every three hours throughout the 24-hour period to cover the entire diel cycle. Diet of juvenile hake was mostly composed of the euphausiid Nyctiphanes couchii, showing a peak in stomach contents during early morning followed by a daytime decrease. Fullness index (%FI) was generally higher during sunrise when migratory activity ceased and juvenile hake return to the bottom after feeding. Concerning the hake abundance the highest density value was obtained in May during the recruitment period.Two independent daily ration estimates were produced. First, an empirical attempt to estimate the daily amount of food consumed was obtained by back-calculating the fresh weight of euphausiid prey ingested by juvenile hake. Estimated values ranged from 4.96–5.89% body wet weight (%BW). Second, the daily ration was computed applying the exponential gastric evacuation models proposed by Elliot & Persson (1978) and Eggers (1979). Daily ration values obtained using these consumption models produced a considerable (15–20%) underestimation of consumption rate for juvenile hake.

Feeding ecology of little tunny Euthynnus alletteratus in the central Mediterranean Sea

2007 ◽  
Vol 87 (4) ◽  
pp. 999-1005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuela Falautano ◽  
Luca Castriota ◽  
Maria Grazia Finoia ◽  
Franco Andaloro
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Prey Abundance ◽  
Central Mediterranean ◽  
Size Classes ◽  
Larval Stages ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Predator Size ◽  
Central Mediterranean Sea

The feeding habits of Euthynnus alletteratus and its variations compared to predator size in the central Mediterranean Sea were investigated. The stomach contents of 187 specimens were analysed, ranging from 26.8 to 50.3 cm total length, caught by authorized experimental drift-nets. The difference in food items found in the stomachs was evaluated by occurrence of prey frequency, prey weight, and prey abundance; these criteria were used to calculate an index of relative importance. Fish were the dominant food detected according to all numerical indicators examined and were mainly represented by Maurolicus muelleri and larval stages of teleosts. Hyperiid amphipods, dominated by Anchylomera blossevillei and Phrosina semilunata, were well represented in terms of frequency of occurrence. Variations in the diet composition compared to fish size were observed. Comparative analysis performed on prey abundance highlighted a trend of increasing predator size-classes among prey items. The specimens of the smallest sizes ate mainly adult clupeiforms and larvae or other juvenile teleosts. As fish grew, there were increased amounts of adult teleosts, crustaceans (hyperiids and isopods) and cephalopods. Maurolicus muelleri was the most important prey for the largest specimens analysed. Significant differences among size-classes, both in prey abundance and in prey weight, were confirmed by non-parametric multivariate analysis of variance (NP-MANOVA).

record of acanthocybium solandri in the central mediterranean sea, with notes on parasites

2005 ◽  
Vol 85 (5) ◽  
pp. 1295-1296
Author(s):  
t. romeo ◽  
e. azzurro ◽  
e. mostarda
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Central Mediterranean ◽  
Pacific Waters ◽  
Central Mediterranean Sea ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Straits Of Messina

one specimen of wahoo, acanthocybium solandri was caught in june 2004 by artisanal fishermen in the straits of messina, sicily. this epipelagic species has a circum-tropical distribution and in the mediterranean has been recorded only twice. meristic characteristics, gonads and stomach contents were analysed. two species of parasites, the giant trematodes hirudinella ventricosa and the monogenean neothoracocotyle acanthocybii were detected in the stomach and in the gills, respectively. the presence of these helminths, typical of hosts captured in atlantic and pacific waters is consistent with the migration of this specimen via gibraltar.

Predictive distribution models of European hake in the south-central Mediterranean Sea

Hydrobiologia ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 821 (1) ◽  
pp. 153-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Garofalo ◽  
S. Fezzani ◽  
F. Gargano ◽  
G. Milisenda ◽  
O. Ben Abdallah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Predictive Distribution ◽  
The South ◽  
Distribution Models ◽  
Central Mediterranean ◽  
South Central ◽  
Central Mediterranean Sea ◽  
European Hake
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