FEEDING ASPECTS OF THE DOLPHIN CORYPHAENA-HIPPURUS LINNAEUS, 1758 IN CABO-SAN-LUCAS, BAJA-CALIFORNIA-SUR, MEXICO

The analysis of the stomach contents of 500 dolphinfish Coryphaena hip purus is presented. The fish were caught from the shoreline to 25 mile s off Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Fifty-one prey were identified from the food items of the dolphinfish, which pertain to t hree categories: fishes, cephalopods and crustaceans and, according to the index of relative importance, represent 56.3%, 23.1% and 20.6%, r espectively. Of the 51 prey, 18 represented 97%. Dosidicus gigas, Pleu roncodes planipes, Balistes polylepis, Cypselurus callopterus and Auxi s spp. contributed 70% of the food supply. The dolphinfish is characte rized as a top predator or a highly voracious organism with a wide tro phic spectrum. Its food habits tend to be closely related to the epipe lagic environment.