Feeding habits and ontogenetic diet shift of the striped red mullet, Mullus surmuletus Linnaeus, 1758

The feeding habits of the striped red mullet, Mullus surmuletus on the Cretan shelf (north-eastern Mediterranean), in respect to season and fish size, were examined. Stomach contents of 446 specimens, 62-230 mm TL, collected by demersal trawl from August 1988 to August 1989, were analyzed. Feeding intensity was high throughout the study period and varied significantly among the size classes. Crustaceans (amphipods and decapods) predominated M. surmuletus diet. The composition of the prey ingested varied with predator size fish and cephalopods occurred exclusively in the diet of specimens larger than 161 mm TL. The mean weight of stomach contents increased significantly for fish larger than 171 mm TL, while the mean number of prey items did not differ among the size classes. Diets varied seasonally; decapods were more important in summer, whereas amphipods were more important during winter and spring. The results indicated that the red striped mullet fed on a narrow range of prey items and could be considered a specialist. The morphological characteristics and the foraging behaviour of M. surmuletus account for both prey type selection and the feeding patterns observed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.