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<p>Data on fish food habits in their natural habitat is a critical aspect for understanding their ecology and biology. Such information summarizes the fish predaceous activities and can help in interpreting ecological and life-historical traits (e.g., growth, feeding behavior, migration, reproduction). In this study, we examined the spatiotemporal changes in prey preferences, trophic niche breadth, and overlap in the Moroccan common horse mackerel <i>Trachurus trachurus</i>, a globally vulnerable species. Fish were sampled during the summer 2018 along a north-to-south gradient off the Moroccan Atlantic coastal waters (Larache, Safi, and Dakhla fishing areas) and during the 2018 dry and wet seasons in the Safi fishing area. Different diversity indices and statistical tests were used to compare locations and seasons. The frequency of occurrences of prey taxa was highly rank correlated with their corresponding weight percentages, indicating that overall horse mackerels fed on the different preys according to their relative abundance in the habitat. A high taxonomic richness of prey occurred in Dakhla compared to Larache and Safi (15 <i>vs.</i> 4–5 taxa) and a medium richness (7–8 taxa) in both dry and wet seasons. There were significant changes in diet diversity among locations and seasons. Overall, the species fed mainly on crustaceans, particularly Amphipoda, Euphausiacea, and Copepoda, and small teleost fish along with molluscs, with a dominance of Euphausiacea, bony fish, and Amphipoda, respectively, in Larache, Safi, and Dakhla, and crustaceans and bony fish, respectively, in the dry and wet seasons in the Safi fishing area. A medium mean trophic niche breadth and a low evenness were recorded for the locations and seasons. Overall, Proportional Similarity index (PSi) revealed that the proportion of specialist feeders in the three locations is low, with relatively higher values in Dakhla and Safi. Specialist feeders predominated in the dry season compared to the wet season, which showed a predominance of generalist individuals. Low trophic niche overlaps were observed between pairs of both locations and seasons. The dietary differences among locations, seasons, and other studies could be attributed to spatial and/or temporal variations in local ecological conditions. Our findings would be helpful for stock characterization and thus for sustainable management and conservation of this vulnerable species.</p>

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Feeding ecology of the common horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus L., 1758 (Teleostei: Carangiformes: Carangidae) off the Moroccan Atlantic coastal waters: spatial and seasonal variations

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月8日

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  • Hayat Elmghazli,
  • Mohammed Znari

摘要

Data on fish food habits in their natural habitat is a critical aspect for understanding their ecology and biology. Such information summarizes the fish predaceous activities and can help in interpreting ecological and life-historical traits (e.g., growth, feeding behavior, migration, reproduction). In this study, we examined the spatiotemporal changes in prey preferences, trophic niche breadth, and overlap in the Moroccan common horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus, a globally vulnerable species. Fish were sampled during the summer 2018 along a north-to-south gradient off the Moroccan Atlantic coastal waters (Larache, Safi, and Dakhla fishing areas) and during the 2018 dry and wet seasons in the Safi fishing area. Different diversity indices and statistical tests were used to compare locations and seasons. The frequency of occurrences of prey taxa was highly rank correlated with their corresponding weight percentages, indicating that overall horse mackerels fed on the different preys according to their relative abundance in the habitat. A high taxonomic richness of prey occurred in Dakhla compared to Larache and Safi (15 vs. 4–5 taxa) and a medium richness (7–8 taxa) in both dry and wet seasons. There were significant changes in diet diversity among locations and seasons. Overall, the species fed mainly on crustaceans, particularly Amphipoda, Euphausiacea, and Copepoda, and small teleost fish along with molluscs, with a dominance of Euphausiacea, bony fish, and Amphipoda, respectively, in Larache, Safi, and Dakhla, and crustaceans and bony fish, respectively, in the dry and wet seasons in the Safi fishing area. A medium mean trophic niche breadth and a low evenness were recorded for the locations and seasons. Overall, Proportional Similarity index (PSi) revealed that the proportion of specialist feeders in the three locations is low, with relatively higher values in Dakhla and Safi. Specialist feeders predominated in the dry season compared to the wet season, which showed a predominance of generalist individuals. Low trophic niche overlaps were observed between pairs of both locations and seasons. The dietary differences among locations, seasons, and other studies could be attributed to spatial and/or temporal variations in local ecological conditions. Our findings would be helpful for stock characterization and thus for sustainable management and conservation of this vulnerable species.