Alimentación de Merlucciusgayi (Guichenot) frente a Chile central (36° 05' - 36° 50' S)

Abstract

The stomach content of 434 individuals of Merluccius gayi, captured between Pichidangui (32°05'S) and Punta de Tumbes (36°50'S), Chile, is studied. Numeric, volumetric, frequency and relative importance index (IIR) methods were used to determine the main incidence of a food item. Only 91, of the total, captured between 85 and 500 meters, showes with prey items. Euphausia mucronata is the main prey item according to IIR and others methods used. Amphipods, copepods, cumaceans, polychaetes, mollusks, teleost and crustaceans such as Pleuroncodes monodon an item considered as secondary food according to IIR, compose the feeding of this species. Merluccius gayi has a predominantly pelagic feeding, a benthodemersal one at smaller scale, and a Little incidence in benthic forms. The 20 taxa which were found present a wide trophic spectrum, being a carnivorous fish of a second and/or third level which practice cannibalism.