Feeding Habits of the Copper Shark, Carcharhinus brachyurus (Günther, 1870) from Ain El-Ghazala Lagoon, Eastern Libya during the Period from February till June 2013

Abstract

The feeding habits of 140 specimens of Carcharhinus brachyurus (Fam. Carcharhinidae) inhabiting Ain-El-Ghazala lagoon on the Mediterranean Sea, eastern Libya were studied monthly from February to June 2013. The annual diet composition, monthly variations in the diet composition, the variations of diet with length and the intensity of feeding were studied. Carcharhinus brachyurus feed on a wide variety of prey types: Pelagic bony fishes (54.5%), benthic bony fishes (36.4%), Cephalopods (6.8%), Cartilaginous fishes (1.7%) and Fish parts (0.6%). The Pelagic bony fishes and benthic bony fishes were the major food items during the study period in question, and they were found in all length groups. According to the results that were gleamed from this study, when the size of the sharks increased, the proportion of pelagic bony fishes within the sharks' stomachs grew in size, while the benthic bony fishes and Cephalopods decreased in size. The feeding intensity was quite high during the winter, spring and summer, this study is the first to study the Elasmobranchs in Libya, and it will be good base to study another species, specifically.