Food and Feeding Habits of the European Anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) (Linnaeus, 1758) Inhabiting Port Said, Mediterranean Coast, Egypt

El-Beltagy Et Al., Karim M.

doi:10.21608/ejabf.2022.253138

Food and Feeding Habits of the European Anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) (Linnaeus, 1758) Inhabiting Port Said, Mediterranean Coast, Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Karim M. El-Beltagy et al.

10.21608/ejabf.2022.253138

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the feeding biology of E. encrasicolus in the Egyptian Mediterranean coast at Port Said, Egypt. A total of 750 specimens of the European anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus (Linnaeus, 1758) were randomly sampled on monthly basis from March 2020 to February 2021 from the fish landing site at Port Said Mediterranean coast. The fish diet composition was formed of crustaceans (49.3%), followed by polychaetes (27.1%), phytoplankton (12.7%) and fish parts (11.0%). Crustaceans and polychaetes were found all year around and in all fish length groups. Phytoplankton disappeared in December, January and February. Fish parts disappeared in March and April. Crustaceans, polychaetes and fish parts increased with the increase in fish size, while phytoplankton decreased with the increase in fish size. In the present study, the maximum feeding activity was recorded during winter (75.8%) and the minimum in summer (32.0%).

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