Abstract

The yellowtail snapper is one of the most important fishery resources for the State of Yucatan’s fishing economy. Nevertheless, the available information about its trophic biology is scarce in this region. A stomach content analysis was performed for about 505 yellowtail snappers that were monthly collected throughout the coast of Yucatan from January 2008 to January 2009. The percentages of occurrence (%F), number (%N), weight (%W) and Hureau’s alimentary coefficient (Q= %Nx%P) were calculated for each prey category. The temporal dietary shifts were analyzed for two climatic seasons (cold and warm) along the coast. The dietary overlap was calculated by means of Schoener’s index, and the temporal composition and abundance prey-rate change was performed through a multivariate ANOVA. The diet was compound by Penaeidea crustaceans (%F=47, Q=1319) as preferential prey, and Osteichthyes (%F=32, Q=56) as secondary prey. Penaeidea always was the preferred prey (%F= 44-47, Q=555-1465) on two climatic seasons. Caridea and Mysidacea crustaceans (%F=82 y 19, Q=88 y 34) and Osteichthyes (%F=26, Q=88) represented the secondary prey during the cold season, while Osteichthyes (%F=37, Q=46) and Caridea (%F=25, Q=0.32), respectively were secondary and incidental prey during the warm season. The Schoener’s index showed differences in dietary composition among seasons, while the multivariate ANOVA test did not show a significant variation pattern in the temporal composition and abundance prey-rate change among seasons. The yellowtail snapper could be considered as a benthic carnivorous predator that feeds on the same prey categories in diverse proportions at different seasons of the annual cycle.

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