engleski

Feeding of larval sardine, Sardina pilchardus (Walbaum), in the eastern Adriatic Sea

In the period from February to April 1990, data regarding the diet of larval (4-24 mm) sardine Sardina pilchardus (Walbaum, 1792) in relation to food availability was gathered in the eastern central Adriatic. The most common food organisms in the guts (78-89%) were the developmental stages of copepods (eggs, nauplii and copeodites). Percentage composition of copepod nauplii in the diet decreased with increasing larval size, while copepodites increased. the largest larvae still consumed a high proportion of small food particles. There was no consistent relationship between food availability and feeding success, probably because feeding conditions were generally adequate.

sardine; larvae; feeding; eastern central Adriatic

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