Journal
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
Volume 76, Issue 7, Pages 1626-1639Publisher
WILEY-BLACKWELL
DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2010.02599.x
Keywords
feeding ecology; Lampedusa Island; ontogenetic shifts; seasonal patterns; Straits of Sicily
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The diet of pearly razorfish Xyrichtys novacula, caught monthly along the shores of the Island of Lampedusa, appeared to be mainly composed of crustaceans, followed by colonial ascidians, molluscs and polychaetes. Among prey, sand dwellers and phanerogam-associated species were recorded. In winter months, the diet was characterized by a small number of prey items, dominated by colonial ascidians, while in spring and summer a wider prey array was recorded. Dietary indices show that X. novacula do not strictly exploit benthic prey but also pelagic organisms, such as copepods. This feeding behaviour reached its peak in March and October, when the abundance of primary consumers was at its highest after phytoplankton blooms. Furthermore, X. novacula caught prey organisms according to their availability and seasonal patterns during their life cycles, irrespective of fish size. (C) 2010 The Authors Journal compilation (C) 2010 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles
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