Hábitos alimentarios del pargo mancha Lutjanus guttatus. (Pisces: Lutjanidae) en el Golfo de Nicoya, Costa Rica

Abstract

A total of 504 "Spotted Snapper" Lutjanus guttatus were collected monthly in the Gulf of Nicoya. Costa Rica, from January 1993 to January 1994 to determine its feeding habits. The fishes studied ranged 12.6 cm in total length and were collected by using hook and line. The total biomass of the stomach contents was 593.1 g. 73.8% of Ihe stomachs, were empty. Taking into account the whole sample, peneid shrimps were the most abundant taxon: They aecounted for 59.3% of occurrence in the fish stomach and 79.3% of the biomass. However, whereas the main food item in the stomach contents of juvenile fishes (smaller than 30 cm in total length) were peneids (Penaeus spp.), that of bigger fishes were stomatopods (Squilla spp.)