Regime alimentaire d'Eledone cirrhosa (Cephalopoda, Octopoda) des cotes Nord et Est Tunisiennes.

Abstract

This paper deals for the first time with the diet of Eledone cirrhosa living along the Tunisian coasts. The samples were provided between October 2005 and September 2006 from the commercial landings in the northern and eastern coasts, and during the trawling surveys achieved in March 2005 on the Northern and Eastern bottoms between 50m and 600m depth. The monthly changes in the values of the vacuity coefficient and fullness weight index were related to the life cycle phases of the species. Crustaceans preys were found to be the most frequent prey groups occurred in 84% of filled stomachs. This index represented 26.5% and 19.5% respectively for the fishes and cephalopods preys. Differences in food composition between juveniles and adults individuals were noticed, the crustaceans dominated in smaller specimens wherever the diet in the adults were more diversified composed by crustaceans, fishes and cephalopods. This difference might be linked to a change in the feeding.