First Observations on the Stomach Contents of Devil Firefish, Pterois miles (Bennett, 1828) in the Gulf of Antalya, Turkey

Abstract

C T The present study examined stomach contents of 35 individuals of Pterois miles (Bennett, 1828) captured using scuba diving gears in Antalya Gulf. Total length and total weight in the specimens of P. miles collected from the Gulf of Antalya were 13.1-35.2 c m (mean±SD; 19.98±4.40) and 36.88 - 456.6 g (mean±SD; 103.82±91.29), respectively. The dominant prey were fish (IFO=106.67%, IP=59.38%) and the rest were crustaceans (IFO=53.33%, IP=40.63%). It was determined that P. miles was carnivorous and predominantly piscivorous. This study is the first to show how kind of consumption preys P. miles obtained from the Gulf of Antalya. The result of this study strengthens the existing knowledge on the consumption preys of devil firefish in the eastern Mediterranean. The distribution of this species continues in the Turkish Seas. The fishery and consumption of lionfish should be improved. The development of a lionfish fishery could provide a management tool to ameliorate impacts to coastal ecosystems of the