Feeding of a pelagic chaetognath, Sagitta friderici Ritter-Záhony off Ubatuba region (São Paulo, Brazil)

Abstract

The diet of Sagitta friderici off Ubatuba region, São Paulo State, was studied in March, 1989. Specimens were collected with a closing-net during three days at six hours' intervals (00:00; 06:00; 12:00; 18:00 h), at a fixed station of 38 m depth. The population was composed basically by young stages (O-II). A total of 3175 specimens were examined but only 760 contained preys in their guts. Copepods were the main constituent of food eaten (79.86%). There was a preference for the genera Paracalanus, Oncaea, Corycaeus and for crustacean nauplii. Other zooplanktonic groups such as Annelida, Urochordatha, and Mollusca were also found in the gut. Cannibalistic behavior occurred in 2.66% of the samples. In S. friderici the food was selected by size and was a direct function of the predator size. Younger stages (O-I) selected small prey, whereas older stages (II) preferred larger preys. Specimens collected above the thermocline exhibited higher feeding intensity (FCR) during the night periods.