Feeding Habits And Natural Diet of the Intertidal Crab Pachygrapsus marmoratus: Opportunistic Browser or Selective Feeder?

摘要: The aim of this study was to identify the feeding habits European intertidal crab Pachygrapsus marmoratus. Since species is widely distributed in southern Europe, four south-western sites far apart from each other were selected: Portugal, central Tyrrhenian coast, Italy, and northern Adriatic Istria. In summer, crabs collected contents their stomachs assessed laboratory. parallel, at collection site relative abundance algae sessile slow-moving animals for comparison with frequency same items P. marmoratus diet. detailed analysis its showed that omnivorous but it cannot simply be considered an opportunistic feeder. all populations, algal animal diet components almost equally abundant; thus these actively regulate cope dietary needs fast-moving, semi-terrestrial life-style. Descriptive quantitative analyses has definite preferences prey algae. Limpets mussels proved commonest prey, followed by conspecific crabs. highly preferred plant item filamentous algae, although corticated macroalgae articulated calcareous also common Cyanobacteria only Atlantic crustose represented Ralfsia sp., a high protein lipid contents. Both univariate multivariate statistical methods confirmed different populations minimally influenced food within environment composition constant throughout sampled area. conclusion, ingested foods can best explained considering related mainly population structure and, some items, physiology itself.