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Diet of Atlantic lizardfish, Synodus saurus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Pisces: Synodontidae) in the central Mediterranean Sea
Esposito, V.; Battaglia, P.; Castriota, L.; Finoia, M.G.; Scotti, G.; Andaloro, F. (2009). Diet of Atlantic lizardfish, Synodus saurus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Pisces: Synodontidae) in the central Mediterranean Sea. Sci. Mar. (Barc.) 73(2): 369-376. https://dx.doi.org/10.3989/scimar.2009.73n2369
In: Scientia Marina (Barcelona). Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Institut de Ciènces del Mar: Barcelona. ISSN 0214-8358; e-ISSN 1886-8134, more
Peer reviewed article  
Available in  Authors 
Keywords
    Behaviour > Habits > Feeding behaviour > Behaviour > Feeding habits
    Biogeny > Ontogeny
    Diets
    Synodontidae Gill, 1861 [WoRMS]; Synodus saurus (Linnaeus, 1758) [WoRMS]
    MED, Central Mediterranean [Marine Regions]; MED, Italy, Sicily [Marine Regions]
    Marine/Coastal
Author keywords
    diet; feeding habits; Synodontidae; Synodus saurus; ontogeny; centralMediterranean Sea; Sicily
Authors  Top 
  • Esposito, V.
  • Battaglia, P.
  • Castriota, L.
  • Finoia, M.G.
  • Scotti, G.
  • Andaloro, F., more
Abstract
    The diet composition of the Atlantic lizardfish Synodus saurus, caught on sandy bottoms of the north-western coast of Sicily (southern Tyrrhenian Sea) is described. The stomachs of 224 specimens (from 73 to 280 mm TL) were collected between June 2005 and May 2006. The analysis of stomach contents showed that this species is almost exclusively piscivorous. Unlike other benthic predators of the study area, it mainly feeds on pelagic school-forming fish, such as Clupeidae, Engraulidae and Myctophidae and juveniles of Sparidae and Centracanthidae, and benthic prey play a secondary role. The diet of S. saurus is related to the seasonal availability of resources, depending on the occurrence of juveniles of several species and on the migration of pelagic fishes in the study area. There were no significant changes in prey items between predator length groups, but a positive, significant linear relationship between prey size and predator size was recorded.
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