Abstract

ROJAS M., José Rodrigo; MARAVILLA, Erick  and  CHICAS B., Francisco. Hábitos alimentarios del pargo mancha Lutjanus guttatus (Pisces: Lutjanidae) en Los Cóbanos y Puerto La Libertad, El Salvador. Rev. biol. trop [online]. 2004, vol.52, n.1, pp.163-170. ISSN 0034-7744.

A total of 175 spotted snapper Lutjanus guttatus were collected monthly in the Los Cobanos and Puerto La Libertad, El Salvador, from January to December 2000 to determine its feeding habits. The fishes studied ranged 9.8 - 58.0 cm in total length. Were collected using pushnet and hook and line. This snapper is a bentonic opportunistic carnivorous predator. The total biomass of the stomach contents was 260.5 g. Crustaceans (Squillidae, Portunidae, Dynomenidae, Penaeidae, Sicyoniidae, Callianassidae), were the most abundant group; they accounted for 50.4% of the total biomass. Numerically, Portunus asper was the most abundant prey. Ontogenic differences were observed in the diet. In juveniles (16 cm TL), at any time of the year, the most frequent and abundant components were crustaceans and in adults were crustaceans, fishes and mollusks. The relative importance of different components of the diet was assessed with two indexes that combine, in different ways, percentage frequency of occurrence, percentage number and percentage weight of prey categories. The commercial use this resource and the absence of management strategies are discussed

Keywords : Lutjanus guttatus; Lutjanidae; stomach content analysis; diet composition; El Salvador.