Feeding habits of the Panama Brief Squid (Lolliguncula panamensis) in the Gulf of California, Mexico

Abstract

The feeding habits of the Panama brief squid, Lolliguncula panamensis (Berry, 1911), it inhabits off Peru until Gulf of California, was determined by examining the stomach contents of 657. Panama brief squid were collected from the incidental catch of shrimp trawling fishery during 2003-2006 and 2008, along the Gulf of California, Mexico. Most of the stomachs were empty and those that contained food presented highly digested prey items. Eight taxa were identified in the stomach contents and the index of relative importance indicated to juvenile of Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax), the most important prey, this prey bring 99.6% IRI. Results suggest that L. panamensis is a highly opportunistic predator foraged primarily in coastal and epipelagic waters, whose diet reflect the local abundance of potential prey species, mainly small pelagic fishes.