Food habits, schooling and predatory behaviour of the yellowmouth barracuda, Sphyraena viridensis (Perciformes: Sphyraenidae) in the Azores
The yellowmouth barracuda is one of the most common coastal pelagic predator in the Azores archipelago which probably constitutes their northernmost range in the Eastern North Atlantic. The biology, behaviour and feeding ecology of this species is virtually unknown. Between 1997 and 1998, 100 indivi...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | unknown |
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Société Française d'Ichtyologie
2002
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://dx.doi.org/10.26028/cybium/2002-262-001 https://sfi-cybium.fr/fr/food-habits-schooling-and-predatory-behaviour-yellowmouth-barracuda-sphyraena-viridensis-perciformes |
| Summary: | The yellowmouth barracuda is one of the most common coastal pelagic predator in the Azores archipelago which probably constitutes their northernmost range in the Eastern North Atlantic. The biology, behaviour and feeding ecology of this species is virtually unknown. Between 1997 and 1998, 100 individuals of S. viridensis were collected in the Azores islands. Their size ranged from 545 to 1190 mm (TL). Stomach contents were analysed and 66% of them contained food. Fish were the only prey observed. Juveniles of Trachurus picturatus were the dominant item identified, occurring in 82.2% of the stomachs containing food. Mean size of prey was correlated to the mean size of barracudas. Some 550 hours of behavioural observations were carried out. Different types of aggregations were observed with small groups and isolated individuals in winter conditions and big schools in summer, displaying several types of predatory behaviour. |
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