FEEDING OF Mustelus canis (ELASMOBRANCHII, TRIAKIDAE) CAUGHT OFF SOUTH-SOUTHEAST COAST OF BRAZIL

Abstract

Feeding habits of Mustelus canis (MitchilI, 1815), caught by the research vessel Orion, using bottom longline, off the south-southeastern coast of Brazil (19-27°S), were studied. The frequency of occurrence of the items found in the stomach was analyzed considering the variations on sex, stage of maturity, length of the specimens and date of collection. The item Crustacea was the most frequent, occurring in 87.5% of the 56 stomachs with content, followed by Teleostei, with a percentage of 60.7%. Among the crustaceans, Stomatopoda (46.4%) and Brachyura (50.5%) were the most observed items. The species presented feeding habits based on benthic crustacean, with little variation of diet, that can be caused by the increase on the capacity of catching with size, or by the use of different bathymetric zones for feeding.