الطيف الغذائي عند سمك البالون الغازي Lagocephalus sceleratus من فصيلة (Tetraodontidae)‎ في المياه البحرية السورية

Abstract EN

Feeding habits of the Lessepsian migrant fish Lagocephalus sceleratus, which invaded the eastern coast of Mediterranean Sea and entered through The Suez canal.

Soon after wards, it established abundant populations along the Syrian Coast to compete with the native species on their diets.

This species inhabits on sandy bottoms, coral reefs and sea grass meadows, at depths up to 100 m.

The study was condu cted on different indices of digestive contents of (192) commercial samples, which were caught from fishing areas along the Syrian Coast, during July 2014 until June 2015.

We studied many indices using (Hureau and Geistdoerfer) methods to show the preferred prey was Fish followed by Echinodermata then Mollusca (Cephalopoda), while Crustacea (Decapoda) was secondary prey.

The accessory prey was Oligo cheata.

The diet differs with seasons, but Fish and Mollusca remain the most important in the feeding system for L.

sceleratus in the Syrian coast.

Depending on the results of this study, this invader predator is considered a major nuisance for fishers, because it damages fishing gear by attacking fish caught in nets and lines.

In addition to reducing local stocks of squids and octopus through predation