Diet of blue marlin Makaira mazara off the coast of Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Leonardo Andres Abitia-Cardenas, Felipe Galvan-Magaña, Francisco Javier Gutierrez-Sanchez, Jesus Rodriguez-Romero, Bernabe Aguilar-Palomino, Almei Moehl-Hitz

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

41 Scopus citations

Abstract

Analysis of the stomach contents of 204 blue marlin (Makaira mazara) caught by the sport-fishing fleet of Cabo San Lucas in the southern Gulf of California is presented. The specimens sampled were caught during the summer and fall of 1987, 1988, and 1989 when the sea is warm (28-30°C). Blue marlin were found to feed on 35 prey species, 3 of which represented 90% of the total stomach contents by frequency of occurrence. The main prey were epipelagic organisms from the oceanic zone and demersal fishes from the neritic zone. The most important prey were bullet mackerel Auxis spp., young finescale triggerfish Balistes polylepis, and the giant squid Dosidicus gigas.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)95-100
Number of pages6
JournalFisheries Research
Volume44
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1999
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Blue marlin
  • Coast of Mexico
  • Food habits

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