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Feeding and predation impact of chaetognaths in the north Aegean Sea (Strymonikos and Ierissos Gulfs)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 November 2005

George Kehayias
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, University of Ioannina, Seferi 2, 301 00 Agrinio, Greece
Evangelia Michaloudi
Affiliation:
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Department of Biology, Ichthyology Laboratory, Box 134, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece
Emmanuil Koutrakis
Affiliation:
Fisheries Research Institute—National Agricultural Research Foundation, Nea Peramos, 640 07 Kavala, Greece

Abstract

The feeding of the most important chaetognath species (Sagitta enflata, Sagitta minima, Sagitta setosa and Sagitta serratodentata) found in a grid of 35 stations in the north Aegean Sea (Strymonikos and Ierissos Gulfs) was investigated through gut content analysis during five sampling periods from June 1997 to May 1998. Sagitta enflata and S. minima were the most abundant species in summer–autumn 1997 and in spring 1998, respectively. Copepods were the main food for all chaetognath species in spring 1998, while cladocerans in summer–autumn 1997 dominated the diet, especially of S. enflata. In September 1997, the juvenile specimens of cladocerans were the most important prey of the immature Stage I specimens of S. enflata, which resulted from the major breeding period in late summer. The estimated impact of chaetognath predation on the copepod and cladoceran communities ranged between 0.02–2.76% and 0.01–1.29% of the copepod and cladoceran standing stock, respectively. Stage I specimens of S. enflata accounted for nearly 90% of the total copepod and cladoceran standing stock consumed per day by the total population of this species in September 1997.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2005 Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

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