Feeding behaviour of the American plaice (Hippoglossoides platessoides) on the southern Grand Bank of Newfoundland
10 páginas, 14 figuras, 5 tablas This study shows that on the southern Grand Bank, the diet of American plaice between 40 and 55 cm long mainly consists of Ammodytes dubius and brittle stars; the third most important prey is Mallotus villosus. To analyse feeding intensity during a daily and annual c...
| Published in: | Netherlands Journal of Sea Research |
|---|---|
| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
1992
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10261/60683 https://doi.org/10.1016/0077-7579(92)90023-8 |
| Summary: | 10 páginas, 14 figuras, 5 tablas This study shows that on the southern Grand Bank, the diet of American plaice between 40 and 55 cm long mainly consists of Ammodytes dubius and brittle stars; the third most important prey is Mallotus villosus. To analyse feeding intensity during a daily and annual cycle, we used three different indices: the mean weight fullness index, the percentage of empty stomachs and the daily ration. The daily feeding intensity shows maxima related to the kind of prey consumed. A. dubius is consumed in larger amounts late in the day, between 18.00 and 24.00 h; M. villosus and brittle stars are preyed upon more intensely between 12.00 and 18.00 h. The maximum feeding activity is in April, with a summer period of relatively high values, followed by autumn and winter when feeding intensity is low. The American plaice shows flexibility in its feeding behaviour which allows it to consume its prey in larger amounts when they are more accessible; this accessibility may be the cause of its daily and annual feeding cycle. Peer reviewed |
|---|