Browsing by Author "Morato, Telmo"
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- Diets of forkbeard (Phycis phycis) and conger eel (Conger conger) off the Azores during spring of 1996 and 1997Publication . Morato, Telmo; Solà, Encarnacion; Grós, Maria P.; Menezes, Gui M.The forkbeard, Phycis phycis, and conger eel, Conger conger, are two coastal species, with a wide bathymetric and geographical distribution. The longline fleet of the Azores catches these two important commercial species. Few studies on their diet composition were found in literature. Data were collected during the demersal cruise surveys that took place aboard the R/V “Arquipélago” during the spring of 1996 and 1997. Stomachs of 53 forkbeards and 95 conger eels were examined to define their diets. Both species fed primarily on fishes, mainly on two benthopelagic species (Capros aper and Macroramphosus scolopax). However, the relative importance of fish was higher for conger eel than for forkbeard, which fed secondarily on decapods. Prey composition of the diet did not vary between sexes, predator size or areas. However, some differences were found on diet composition between depth strata. Prey composition indicates that both predators have the ability to feed near the bottom on benthic prey or in the water column on benthopelagic species.
- Feeding ecology of the white sea bream, Diplodus sargus cadenati (Perciformes: Sparidae) and the ballan wrasse, Labrus bergylta (Perciformes: Labridae), from Faial Island – AzoresPublication . Figueiredo, Miguel; Morato, Telmo; Barreiros, João P.; Afonso, Pedro; Santos, Ricardo S.To make a first approach in the assessment of the sea urchin predators in the Azores, the diet of white seabream (Diplodus sargus) and ballan wrasse (Labrus bergylta), were studied by the analyses of their stomach contents. The white seabream is a diurnal omnivore, feeding on algae, sea-urchins, worms, gastropods and amphipods, while ballan wrasse fed mainly on echinoderms (sea-urchins), gastropods and decapods. Both species tended to feed on harder prey, such as echinoderms and gastropods, as they grew. Although both species feed upon similar resources, the diet overlap was low. This study shows that the white seabream and the ballan wrasse are important predators of sea-urchins in Azorean coastal habitats. Furthermore, larger fish account for most of the predation on sea-urchins. Thus, a reduction in the abundance and mean size of fishes, which is a typical consequence of fishing, may significantly decrease predation on sea-urchins and could thus facilitate their proliferation.
- First record of the crabs Pirimela denticulata (Montagu, 1808) and Xaiva biguttata (Risso, 1816) (Crustacea: Decapoda) from the Azores.Publication . Vieira, Carla M.; Morato, TelmoThe crabs Pirimela denticulata (Montagu, 1808) and Xaiva biguttata (Risso, 1816) identified in stomach contents of striped red mullet, Mullus surmuletus (Linnaeus, 1758) are recorded for the first time in Azorean waters, extending their known distribution range. A total of 59 individuals of P. denticulata and 12 of X. biguttata were identified in 22 and 10 mullets, respectively.
- Interannual changes in the diet of the almaco jack Seriola rivoliana (Perciformes: Carangidae) from the AzoresPublication . Barreiros, João P.; Morato, Telmo; Santos, Ricardo S.; Borba, Alfredo Emílio Silveira deThe food habits of 232 almaco jack (Seriola rivoliana) were investigated in the Azores (NE Atlantic) between 1997 and 2000. Fish length ranged from 23 to 134 cm (SL), and 83.2% or the stomachs contained food. Their diet was exclusively piscivorous and dominant prey were juveniles or Trachurus picturatus (1997 to 1998) and Scomber japonicus (1999 to 2000). An apparent decrease of T. picturatus stock is interpreted as the main cause for the detected diet shift.
- Length-weight relationships for 21 coastal fish species of the Azores, north-eastern AtlanticPublication . Morato, Telmo; Afonso, Pedro; Lourinho, Paula; Barreiros, João P.; Santos, Ricardo S.; Nash, Richard D.Length–weight relationships were estimated for 21 coastal fish species of the Azores, namely Abudefduf luridus, Bothus podas, Chromis limbata, Coris julis, Diplodus sargus, Echiichthys vipera, Gaidropsarus guttatus, Labrus bergylta, Mullus surmuletus, Phycis phycis, Pomatomus saltator, Sarda sarda, Scorpaena maderensis, Scorpaena notata, Seriola rivoliana, Serranus atricauda, Sparisoma cretense, Sphyraena viridensis, Synodus saurus, Thalassoma pavo and Trachinotus ovatus. Significant length–weight relationships were found for all species. Sexual dimorphism did not affect the length–weight relationships, except in the cases of S. cretense and C. julis. Length–length equations for converting size measurements (standard length (SL) and fork length (FL) to total length (TL)) are also presented for all fish species.