Feeding habits of Scymnorhinus licha in Catalan waters

A study has been made of the diet of Scymnorhinus licha in Catalan coastal waters by means of the analysis of the stomach contents of 97 specimens caught at depths ranging from 300 to 600 metres during a 12 month survey. The annual coefficient of repletion is 80%. Bony fishes form the basic group in the diet for all seasons: they are followed by sharks, crustaceans and cephalopods, which are secondary. As the size of G. licha increases, there is an increase in the frequency of crustaceans and sharks in the stomach contents and a drop in the frequency of cephalopods. Bony fishes are slightly more frequent in the larger specimens. The males have a higher coefficient of repletion and a higher average of prey per stomach and show a greater preference for sharks and bony fishes. Copyright © 1982, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved