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Diet and feeding strategy of thornback ray, Raja clavata (Chondrichthyes: Rajidae) from the Gulf of Gabes (Tunisia—Central Mediterranean Sea)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 June 2014

Hasna Kadri ,
Sondes Marouani ,
Mohamed Nejmeddine Bradai  and
Abderrahmen Bouaïn
Hasna Kadri*
Affiliation:
Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer, Sfax, Tunisia Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
Sondes Marouani
Affiliation:
Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer, Sfax, Tunisia Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
Mohamed Nejmeddine Bradai
Affiliation:
Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer, Sfax, Tunisia
Abderrahmen Bouaïn
Affiliation:
Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: H. Kadri, Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer, Centre de Sfax, B.P. 1035, Sfax 3018, Tunisia email: hasnakadri@yahoo.fr
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Abstract

Food and feeding strategy of the thornback ray, Raja clavata, were studied from stomach contents analysis of specimens caught monthly in the Gulf of Gabes. The data were analysed according to sex, size and season. At total of 1280 stomachs was examined, from specimens ranging from 14 to 110 cm total length (TL), of which 1076 (83.98%) contained food. Thornback ray feed mainly on teleosts, crustaceans and cephalopods, whereas gastropods and polychaetes are occasionally consumed. Significant differences were found between the diets of males and females; however, ontogenetic changes were also detected, with crustaceans constituting the greatest proportion of the diet of smaller rays. Both teleosts and cephalopods increased in importance with growth of the skates. Prey diversity increased with size; large and mobile prey species were more commonly found in the diet of larger skates. Diet composition showed seasonal variations. Quantitative analyses and graphical methods indicate that the thornback ray is a generalist feeder.

Keywords

skatesRaja clavatadietGulf of GabesCentral Mediterranean Sea
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 94 , Issue 7 , November 2014 , pp. 1509 - 1516
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2014 

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