Feeding Habits of the Common Pandora Pagellus Erthyrinus (Linnaeus, 1758) from Benghazi Coasts, Libya
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World Journal of Medical Sciences 12 (2): 103-108, 2015 ISSN 1817-3055 © IDOSI Publications, 2015 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.wjms.2015.12.2.934 Feeding Habits of the Common Pandora Pagellus erthyrinus (Linnaeus, 1758) from Benghazi Coasts, Libya 12Muna Agbali and Mohammad El-Mor 1Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Omar Almokhtar University, P.O. box 919 El-Bayda, Libya 2Marine Science Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Egypt Abstract: Aspects of feeding habits and diet of the common Pandora Pagellus erthyrinus are reported in this study. The feeding habits of 437 specimens of Pagellus erthyrinus (family: Sparidae), inhabiting Benghazi Mediterranean Coast, were studied monthly from January to December 2013. The annual diet composition, monthly variations in the diet composition, the variations of diet with length and the intensity of feeding were studied. Analysis of the stomach contents by points of assessment [9, 10] showed that, Pagellus erthyrinus feed on a wide variety of prey types: crustaceans (46.1%), mollusks (18.7 %), echinoderms (10.5%), polychaetes (7.1%), foraminifera (6.2%), fish parts (4.1%), sea grasses (3.1%) and sediments (4.2%). The crustacean and mollusks constituted the predominant food all year round and it was found in all length groups. In the present study crustaceans, mollusks, polychaetes, foraminifera, sea grasses and sediments increased as the size increased while, echinoderms and fish parts decreased as the fish size increased. The feeding intensity appeared to be relatively high during the winter, spring and autumn. Key words: Feeding Habits Corresponding Author: Muna Agbali, Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Omar Almokhtar University, P.O. Box 919 El-Bayda, Libya. E-mail: [email protected]. 103 World J. Med. Sci., 12 (2): 103-108, 2015 Fig. 1: Benghazi fishing harbor on the Mediterranean, Libya Annual diet composition, seasonal variations of diet, order to give more precise information about food and variations of diet with lengths and feeding intensity were feeding habits of Pagellus erthyrinus. All data were estimated in this study. Specimens were collected as fresh tested for normality using a Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. and immediately kept in ice containers to slow the One-way ANOVAs was used to the differences in diet digestion process of bacteria. Total length was measured composition among seasons and feeding habits in relation to the nearest 0.1 cm by digital caliper and weights were to body size. measured with electronic balance. Each fish was dissected and the alimentary tract removed and preserved in 10% RESULTS formalin for further analysis. The degree of fullness of the stomach was assessed by visual estimation and classified Annual Diet Composition: Analysis of the stomach as empty, trace, quarter full, half full, three quarters full content data (Fig. 2) shows that the variety of food items and completely full respectively as described in Ref [11]. in Pagellus erthyrinus diet was large. However, The gut content was examined under binocular crustaceans supplemented by mollusks formed the major microscope and all food items were identified to their food groups for Pagellus erthyrinus. Crustaceans groups. A list of general diet composition was made. contributed (46.1%) of total volume,and consisting mainly Food analysis was made by points of assessment [12]. of small prawns and crabs, whereas mollusks occurred in The results were statistically analysis subjected to the (18.7%) and were composed of bivalves and gastropods. further statistical treatment according to Godfriaux [13], in The other food items were less significant, echinoderms Fig. 2: Diet composition of Pagellus erthyrinus from Benghazi coast, eastern Libya during the period from January till December 2013 104 World J. Med. Sci., 12 (2): 103-108, 2015 Table 1: Monthly variation in diet composition of Pagellus erthyrinus from Benghazi coast, Libya Food items ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 105 World J. Med. Sci., 12 (2): 103-108, 2015 Table 2: Seasonally variation in diet composition of Pagellus erthyrinus from Benghazi coast, Libya Seasons No. Crustaceans Mollusks Echinoderms Polychaetes Foraminifera Fish parts Sea grasses Sediments Winter 139 43.2 17.6 11.4 8.2 7.7 4.5 3.6 4.0 Spring 111 45.1 20.1 10.7 6.3 5.3 3.6 3.1 5.7 Summer 91 47.8 18.6 9.6 7.6 5.6 4.0 2.7 4.2 Autumn 96 48.3 18.5 10.3 6.5 6.1 4.2 3.0 3.0 Data expressed as percentage. Table 3: The diet composition of different size classes (cm) Pagellus erthyrinus Benghazi coast, Libya Food items ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Size groups (cm) No. Crustaceans Mollusks Echinoderms Polychaetes Foraminifera Fish parts Sea grasses Sediments 11.3 - 12.6 97 45.3 18.1 11.1 6.2 7.7 4.0 3.4 4.1 12.7 - 14.0 90 46.0 18.3 11.3 7.6 6.4 3.7 2.4 4.2 14.1 - 15.4 30 38.3 17.0 12.7 6.3 9.3 6.7 4.3 5.3 15.5 - 16.8 23 54.8 17.4 8.7 4.8 5.7 4.8 1.7 2.2 16.9 - 18.2 35 47.1 18.0 10.6 7.4 6.9 4.3 2.3 3.4 18.3 - 19.6 31 46.1 19.7 9.4 5.2 6.8 4.8 3.5 4.5 19.7 - 21.0 6 46.7 23.3 10.0 8.3 6.7 B 3.3 1.7 21.1 - 22.4 59 44.4 19.2 11.0 6.4 8.8 3.1 3.2 3.9 22.5 - 23.8 22 50.0 18.6 7.7 5.0 4.5 5.0 3.6 5.5 23.9 - 25.2 13 40.8 17.7 8.5 7.7 7.7 5.4 4.6 7.7 25.3 - 26.6 2 50.0 30.0 5.0 B 5.0 B 5.0 5.0 26.7 - 28.0 13 45.4 20.8 10.0 5.4 6.2 3.8 3.8 4.6 28.1 - 29.4 15 44.7 20.0 10.0 2.0 8.7 3.3 4.7 6.7 29.5 - 30.8 1 60.0 30.0 B 10.0 10.0 BB B Data expressed as percentage, (B) = no food in class occurred Table 4: Monthly variation in the intensity of feeding of Pagellus erthyrinus from Benghazi coast, Libya The degree of distension of the stomach ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Months No. of fish Empty Trace 1/4 a % 1/2 3/4 Full b % Jan. 45 6.7 20.0 11.1 37.8 6.7 40.0 15.6 62.2 Feb. 52 7.7 13.5 7.7 28.8 11.5 42.3 17.3 71.2 Mar. 37 2.7 16.2 5.4 24.3 10.8 48.6 16.2 75.7 Apr. 39 7.7 10.3 12.8 30.8 25.6 106 World J. Med. Sci., 12 (2): 103-108, 2015 Table 5: Seasonally variation in the intensity of feeding of Pagellus erthyrinus from Benghazi coast, Libya The degree of distension of the stomach ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Seasons No. of fish Empty Trace 1/4 % 1/2 3/4 Full % Winter 139 6.4 16.7 7.9 30.9 7.7 40.9 20.5 69.1 Spring 111 7.3 26.0 9.9 43.1 16.9 31.0 8.9 56.9 Summer 91 7.6 19.9 31.9 59.4 4.6 24.6 11.4 40.6 Autumn 96 6.3 25.0 3.1 34.4 0.0 43.8 21.9 65.6 Data expressed as percentage Feeding Intensity: Fishes with stomach half full, almost increased with size of Pagellus erthyrinus as larger full and full of food ranked b% constituted 58.0% of all animals can consume a wide range of prey sizes than small analyzed individuals, whereas those with stomachs that individuals, these finding match those for [14]. It was were empty or with traces of food ranked in a%, observed that small fishes significantly fed on represented 42.0% of the total specimens (Table 4). crustaceans and then other items of diet and the size prey The feeding activities were quite high during winter taxa (mollusks, echinoderms and fish parts) increased as (69.1%), spring (56.9%) and autumn months (65.6%). the size of the target species increased. In the present 107 World J. Med. Sci., 12 (2): 103-108, 2015 3. Anonymous, B., 1994. Welsh names of animals and 14. Berg, J., 1979. Discussion of methods of investing plants: I Vertebrates: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds the food of fishes, with reference to a preliminary and mammals. pp: 17-26. In W.B.L. Evans (ed.) Cyfres study of the food of Gobiusculus flavescens. Marine enwan (creaduriaid a phlauhigion: I creaduriaid Biology, 50: 263-273. asgwrn-cefn pysgod, amffibiaid, ymlusgiaid, adar a 15. Wootton, R.H., 1989. Ecology of teleost fishes. mamaliaid. 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