Feeding chronology of American plaice (Hippoglossoides platessoides) and yellowtail flounder (Limanda ferruginea) in the Grand Bank (NAFO Division 3N)

• Main Authors: González-Iglesias, María de la Concepción, Costas, Gersom, Bruno, Isabel, Paz, Xabier
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 1998
• Subjects: Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo; Pesquerías; Parma; North Atlantic; Northwest Atlantic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10508/702; http://hdl.handle.net/10261/328841

A total of 970 individuals of American plaice and 1999 individuals of yellowtail flounder were sampled from six hauls carry out in a period of 24 hours for studying the feeding chronology. The main prey of yellowtail flounder were gammaridae (19,5%), A. dubius (10,1%) Annelidae (6,3%), Mysidacea (6%) and Antozoa (%,6%). The predominant preys in American plaice were A. dubius (72,3%) followed by Mysidacea (8,5%) and E. Parma (6,1%). Significant differences to the average values of Fulness Index between hauls were obtained for both species. But for the Mean Weight Fulness Index values only for yellowtail flounder significant differences were noted. During a composite 24-hour day peak stomach content weight occurred at nightfall (21 h) in yellowtail flounder. In the American plaice occurred at dawn. These two species present a lesser feed intensity during the night. This feeding behaviour may be related to the different catchability by day/night.