Food and feeding habits of king weakfish, Macrodon ancylodon (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) caught in the southern coast of Brazil (lat, 29º to 32ºs)

Abstract

Macrodon ancylodon was obtained from landings in Santos Port (São Paulo State) of fish caught monthly by commercial vessels, on the southern coast of Brazil during September 1976 to August 1977. The measurements of total lenght, total weight determination of sex and maturity stages were made. The food items found in stomach contents were: shrimp (Artemesia longinaris), fishes (Paralonchurus brasiliensis, Macrodon ancylodon, Trichirus lepturus, Gadidae, Engraulidae), molluscs (Loliginidae, Bivalvia) and Stomatopoda. Widening of food spectrum was observed in winter. The index of preponderance showed that immature females, immature and mature males fed predominantly on shrimp, while mature females fed mainly on fishes. During spring and summer (spawning season) M. ancylodon exhibited relatively low percentage of full stomachs. Cannibalism was encountered more intensively for mature fish.