Food of larvae of Spanish mackerels, genus Scomberomorus (Teleostei : Scombridae), in shelf waters of the Great Barrier Reef

Abstract

Larvae of S. semifasciatus, S. queenslandicus, and S. commerson were dissected for gut-content analysis. S. semifasciatus larvae feed almost exclusively on larval fish, and S. queenslandicus and S. commerson larvae feed almost exclusively on larval fish and larvaceans. S. queenslandicus larvae exhibit a distinct ontogenetic change in diet, with larvaceans decreasing and larval fish increasing in dietary importance with growth. The maximum size of prey consumed by S. semifasciatus and S. queenslandicus increases with growth.