FOOD AND FEEDING IlADITS OF DASYATIS PASTINACA

FOOD AND FEEDING IlADITS OF DASYATIS PASTINACA
A.K. HAMZA, A.A. EZZAT*, S.M. ALLAM AND M.T. HASHEM
*Oceanography Dept. Faculty of Science Alexandria University.

National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries.

ABSTRACT
Dilsyatis pastfnaca is a voracious species
whi ch feed a11 the year round. The stomach
contents of 323 fish {169 females & 154
males) have been examined. The major dietary
components, based on occurrence and
composition methods were Crustacea, f1 sh
and polychaetes which were assured by
preponderance index. Rate of feeding was
higher in autumn than in other seasons.
The adults of both sexes eat more teleosts
and less crustaceans than the young ones.