Feeding habits and Length-weight relationship for Pagellus erythrinus in Tripoli coast- Libya.

Abstract

A total of 614 specimens of pagellus erythrinus fished from the coastal waters of Tripoli area were collected on monthly basis from October 2019 until September 2020. The results showed that the total length ranged from 12.1 cm to 30.6 cm and the total weight margins between 12.1gm and 340.4 gm and the gastro somatic index (GSI) 1.70 recorded during winter the lowest 0.90 recorded during the spring. The highest feeding index (FI) level recorded during the winter season 56.96% while the lowest level 26.75% recorded during the summer season. The examination of stomach contents revealed that the most favorite food elements in successive order were Crustacea 29%, boney fish 27%, molluscs 22%, digested food 18% and the rest of remaining stomach contents were found in much lesser amounts which include Echinodermata 3%, polychaete 1%, gravel and sand 0.24%, Flatworm 0.09% and sea grasses 0.02% with seasonal disparity in their amount was recorded. The growth was negative allometric during the study b=2.934 with correlation coefficient R²= 0.970, and it approaches isometric in different seasons. The Condition factor (K) ranged between 1.12-1.17. This study covered the feeding habits and the relationship of length to weight, and the coefficient of health status (k), for this important species in the beaches of Tripoli - Libya in order to create a biological database for this fish, in preparation for its future cultivation on the Libyan coast.