Gastric contents of the Valparaiso spiny lobster Projasus bailamondei George, 1976 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palinuridae) from the Cordón Nazca submarine hills

Abstract

The gastric content of Projasus bahamondei Gcorge, 1976, was studied based on 163 stomachs from 61 male and 102 females, captured since the beginning of December 1990 to the end of February 1991 , between 360 and 400 m. of depth in the submarine hills of Cordón Nazca, at 400 miles off the westem Chile-Perú border. The content is integrated by 11 items: bacteria (Thioploca sp.), foramminifera, hidrozoans, crustaceans (lepadids, copepods. eggs, other remnants), gastropods, fishes, not identified organic mattcr and, sediments. Male and female diets were not significantly different if compared the number and frecuency of items (Winner index=0.98) . The weigth-length relationship does not exhibit significative differences between males and females.