Feeding ecology of the crab Cancer polyodon in La Herradura Bay, northern Chile. I. Feeding chronology, food intake, and gross growth and ecological efficiency.

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Wolff, Matthias ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7458-983X and Cerda, G (1992) Feeding ecology of the crab Cancer polyodon in La Herradura Bay, northern Chile. I. Feeding chronology, food intake, and gross growth and ecological efficiency. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 89 . pp. 213-219. DOI https://doi.org/10.3354/meps089213.

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Abstract

Feeding activity pattern and food intake of the crab Cancer polyodon were determined from crab stomach samples taken at 3 to 4 h intervals on 2 days per season in 1988 and 1989. The gross growth efficiency (K1) and the ecological (= population production) efficiency (EE) were calculated in conjunction with growth and production data from a previous study. C. polyodon feeds at night and to a lesser extent during the day. Feeding chronology differed markedly among seasons: in winter, night feeding lasted about twice as long (13 to 15 h) as in spring, but maximum stomach fullness reached only 0.35 % BW (body weight) compared to 0.62 % BW in spring. Summer feeding resembled the spring pattern and autumn feeding the winter pattern. Daily food intake was estimated from the stomach content data and a laboratory-derived evacuation rate using the Elliott & Persson model. Daily rations increased from 2.8 (+/- 0.71) % BW in winter to 4.4 (+/- 0.64) % BW in summer and decreased to 2.7 (+/- 0.37) % BW in autumn (annual average: 3.19 % BW). K1 (weight gain as % of total food ingested) was lower for females (5.3) than for males (10.3), as females convert a high fraction of ingested food into egg production instead of growth. EE [(population biomass production)/(food ingested)] was estimated at 17.8 %.

Document Type: Article
Programme Area: PA Not Applicable
Research affiliation: Integrated Modelling > Resource Management
Refereed: Yes
Open Access Journal?: No
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps089213
ISSN: 0171-8630
Date Deposited: 03 Nov 2025 18:55
Last Modified: 05 Nov 2025 11:41
URI: https://cris.leibniz-zmt.de/id/eprint/5946

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