Predation by sprat and herring on pelagic fish eggs in a plaice spawning area in the Irish Sea |
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| Authors: | T Ellis †‡ R D M Nash |
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| Institution: | Port Erin Marine Laboratory, University of Liverpool, Port Erin, Isle of Man, IM9 6JA, U.K.;Centre for Coastal and Marine Sciences, Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory, P.O. Box 3, Oban, Argyll, PA34 4AD, U.K. |
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| Abstract: | Predation on planktonic fish eggs was examined by stomach content analysis of sprat and herring sampled in a plaice spawning area to the east of the Isle of Man in March 1993. Plankton samples were taken to examine prey selection. The clupeids showed a selection for the later developmental stages of plaice eggs. Plaice eggs had a refuge in size from predation by sprat <80 mm total length which selected smaller non-plaice eggs. However, herring and sprat >80 mm total length showed a strong selection for plaice eggs, presumably due to their large size. |
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| Keywords: | predation ichthyoplankton herring sprat plaice |
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