Feeding habits, seasonal and ontogenetic diet shift of blacktail comber, Serranus atricauda (Pisces : Serranidae), from the Azores, north-eastern Atlantic

The stomach contents of 422 Serranus atricauda, sampled between June 1993 a nd September 1994 in the Azores (northeastern Atlantic), were examined. Fis hes and crustaceans were the main contents with gastropods, bivalves and sa lps uncommon. Mysids (Siriella jaltensis) and Tripterygion de(aisi were the most frequent prey items followed by Capros aper, Parablennius spp., Alphe us spp. and Xantho sp. The type and quantity of food ingested changed over season. S. atricauda are generalists that can feed opportunistically on alt ernative prey. They are diurnal predators. Ontogenetic differences were fou nd in the diet composition and feeding activity within the range of sizes s tudied. There was a significant positive relation between mean prey width a nd predator size. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.