FEEDING HABITS AND TROPHIC STATUS OF MEDITERRANEAN MORAY EEL, MURAENA HELENA L. 1758 IN THE ADRIATIC SEA - PRELIMINARY APPROACH

The feeding habits of Muraena helena from Adriatic Sea were studied using frequency of occurrence, numeric and gravimetric percentage, an index of relative importance (IRI), main food index (MFI) and coefficient of nutritiveness (Q). M. helena is a carnivore, mainly piscivore with a trophic level of 4 and up. Diet composition including 14 different prey taxa was evidently homogenous among M. helena size groups. Principal prey items by decreasing importance were Pisces (dominant taxa: Phycis phycis and Sparidae sp.) and Decapoda (dominant species Galathea strigosa). The study will be completed by analysing dietary overlap among size groups and seasons.