Feeding habits of the sepia orbignyana (fÃ?Æ?Ã?©russac in dÃ?¢Ã?â?¬Ã?â?¢orbigny, 1826) from ain el-ghazala lagoon, eastern Libya.

Author(s): Muna Agbali*, Entsar H, Dr. Taha, Mohammed El-Mor

Abstract

The feeding habits of 117 specimens of Sepia orbignyana (family: Sepiidae), inhabiting Ain El-Ghazala lagoon on the Mediterranean coast, were studied monthly from November 2012 to October 2013. The annual diet composition, monthly variations in the diet composition, the variations of diet with length and the intensity of feeding were studied. Sepia orbignyana feed on a wide variety of prey types: Crustaceans (19.9%), Digestive food (16.5%), Seagrasses (16.2%), Foraminifera (11.1%), Sediments (10.8%), Fish parts (10.1%), Mollusca (5.7%), Polychaetes (5.5%) and Echinoderms (4.2%). The Crustaceans, Digestive food, Seagrasses, Foraminifera, Sediments and Fish part were the major food item all year round and it was found in all length groups. In the present study the Crustaceans, Foraminifera, Sediments, Fish parts and Echinoderms increased as the size increased, while Digestive food, Seagrasses, Mollusca and Polychaetes decreased as the fish size increased. The feeding intensity was quite high during the summer and autumn.

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