FEEDING HABITS OF THE COMMON DENTEX, DENTEX DENTEX (LINNAEUS, 1758) (TELEOSTEI: SPARIDAE) FROM BENGHAZI COAST, EASTERN LIBYA

Author(s): Eman S El-Fergani and Mohammad El-Mor

Abstract

The feeding habits of 500 specimens of Dentex dentex (family: Sparidae), inhabiting Benghazi Mediterranean coast, were studied monthly from September 2013 to August 2014. The annual diet composition, monthly variations in the diet composition, the variations of diet with length and the intensity of feeding were studied. Dentex dentex feed on a wide variety of prey types: crustaceans (35.1%), cephalopods (20.5%), fish parts (19.3 %), mollusks (6.1%), foraminifers (2.0%) and sediments (17.1%). The crustaceans, cephalopods and fish parts were the major food item all year round and it was found in all length groups. In the present study crustaceans, fish parts and sediments increased as the size increased while cephalopods, mollusks and foraminifers decreased as the fish size increased. The feeding intensity was quite high during the autumn (72.9%), spring (74.7%) and summer (60.7%).

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