Cephalopods in the diet of albacore, Thunnus alalunga, from the eastern Mediterranean
JOURNAL OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, vol.89, no.3, pp.635-640, 2009 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 89 Issue: 3
- Publication Date: 2009
- Doi Number: 10.1017/s0025315408002555
- Journal Name: JOURNAL OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM
- Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
- Page Numbers: pp.635-640
- Keywords: stomach content, Thunnus alalunga, cephalopods, eastern Mediterranean, XIPHIAS-GLADIUS, SEA, SWORDFISH
- Istanbul University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
In this study, the stomach contents of 116 albacore specimens, Thunnus alalunga were examined from the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Fifty-five of the 116 stomachs examined were empty. The occurrence of major prey categories in stomachs were 95.1% cephalopods, 47.5% teleosts and 39.3% crustaceans with a total Of 633 individuals belonging to 14 species identified. Heteroteuthis dispar from the order Sepiolida constituted 56-40% of the main cephalopod prey followed by Onychoteuthis banksii from the order Teuthida.