Food habits of groupers Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834) and Epinephelus costae (Steindachner, 1878) in the Mediterranean Coast of Spain

Authors

  • Vicente Gracia López Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR) Mar Bermejo 195, Col. Playa Palo Sta. Rita, La Paz, B.C.S. 23090, México. E.mail: vinny04@cibnor.mx
  • Francesc Castelló i Orvay Laboratory of Aquaculture. Department of Animal Biology. Faculty of Biology. Universitat de Barcelona. Avda. Diagonal, 645. 08028. Barcelona, Spain.

Keywords:

Grouper, food habits, Epinephelus marginatus, Epinephelus costae

Abstract

Stomach contents of Epinephelus marginatus were analyzed to determine their food habits and the relationship with the predator size. Also, the food habits of Epinephelus costae were studied and results obtained for both species were compared according to the ecological categories of preys found in the stomach contents, percentage number (N%) and frequency of occurrence (F%). Results revealed that fishes (33.3%), crustaceans (30.1%) and mollusks (36.6%) were the main preys consumed by E. marginatus. The main prey consumed by Epinephelus costae was fishes (97.1%) and mollusks (2.9%) were occasionally found inside their stomachs. Comparison of ecological categories of prey for both species indicated that E. marginatus fed on benthonic species and E. costae on pelagic species. The relation between diet and size of E. marginatus is discussed in the text.

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Published

2017-01-17

How to Cite

Gracia López, V., & Castelló i Orvay, F. (2017). Food habits of groupers Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834) and Epinephelus costae (Steindachner, 1878) in the Mediterranean Coast of Spain. HIDROBIOLÓGICA, 15(1), 27–34. Retrieved from https://hidrobiologica.izt.uam.mx/index.php/revHidro/article/view/1044

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