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Food Of Cobia, Rachycentron Canadum, From The Northcentral Gulf Of Mexico, Gabriele H. Meyer, James S. Franks
Food Of Cobia, Rachycentron Canadum, From The Northcentral Gulf Of Mexico, Gabriele H. Meyer, James S. Franks
Gulf and Caribbean Research
The stomach contents of 403 cobia, Rachycentron canadum, caught in the northcentral Gulf of Mexico recreational fishery from April through October of 1987-1990 were examined. Cobia ranged from 373-1,530 mm in fork length. Of the 403 stomachs, 287 (71.2%) contained at least one identifiable prey taxon. Crustaceans, consisting primarily of portunid crabs, were the predominant food. Crustaceans occurred in 79.1% of the stomachs and comprised 77.6% of the total number of identifiable prey. The second most important prey category was fish which was dominated by hardhead catfish, Arius felis, and eels. Fish occurred in 58.5% of the stomachs …