Resumen

GRACIA LOPEZ, Vicente  y  CASTELLO I ORVAY, Francesc. Food habits of groupers Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834) and Epinephelus costae (Steindachner, 1878) in the Mediterranean Coast of Spain. Hidrobiológica [online]. 2005, vol.15, n.1, pp.27-34. ISSN 0188-8897.

Stomach contents of Epinephelus marginatus were analyzed to determine their food habits and the relationship with the predator size. Also, the food habits of Epinephelus costae were studied and results obtained for both species were compared according to the ecological categories of preys found in the stomach contents, percentage number (N%) and frequency of occurrence (F%). Results revealed that fishes (33.3%), crustaceans (30.1%) and mollusks (36.6%) were the main preys consumed by E. marginatus. The main prey consumed by Epinephelus costae was fishes (97.1%) and mollusks (2.9%) were occasionally found inside their stomachs. Comparison of ecological categories of prey for both species indicated that E. marginatus fed on benthonic species and E. costae on pelagic species. The relation between diet and size of E. marginatus is discussed in the text.

Palabras llave : Grouper; food habits; Epinephelus marginatus; Epinephelus costae.