Abstract
Diel activity rhythms of the prawn Palaemon xiphias Risso, 1818 from Alfacs Bay, Ebro Delta, were studied by time-lapse videorecordings. Activity displayed an endogenous circadian rhythm, with maximum activity at night. Feeding habits were studied by frequency of occurrence and by the points method. The food of P. xiphias consisted mainly of crustaceans; the remains of amphipods, isopods, mysids, copepods, decapods and ostracods were identified. The remaining items consisted of molluscs, polychaetes, ophiuroids, plant material, sand, and unidentified organic debris. The results indicate that P. xiphias is a predator of benthic invertebrates rather than a scavenger or detritus feeder. Diet composition changes with increasing size of the prawn.
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Communicated by J. M. Pérès, Marseille
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Guerao, G. Locomotor activity patterns and feeding habits in the prawn Palaemon xiphias (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palaemonidae) in Alfacs Bay, Ebro Delta (northwest Mediterranean). Marine Biology 122, 115–119 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00349284
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00349284