Abstract
The stomach contents of Mediterranean poor cod ( Trisopterus minutus capelanus) collected off the eastern coast of Greece (Euboikos Gulf) were analyzed. Crustaceans constituted the main food. Shrimps, followed by crabs, were the most important crustacean prey, in terms of frequency of occurrence. Mysids, although dominant in numbers, represented only a small percentage of the diet by weight. Euphausids, Macrura Reptantia and anomurans were the other main crustaceans found in the stomachs, whereas amphipods, copepods, isopods and cumaceans were present in negligible quantities. Fish ranked second in importance and most were epibenthic or demersal species. Variations in the food of poor cod related to its length were mostly qualitative and not quantitative in terms of stomach fullness. Smaller poor cod fed mainly on mysids and crangonids, but, as fish size increased, these food organisms were replaced by large shrimps (mainly alpheids), fish and crabs. Finally, there was evidence for seasonal and regional variation of the quantity and quality of the food consumed.
Published Version
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