Diet of the Common Eagle Ray, <i>Myliobatis aquila</i> (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Northern Adriatic Sea

We studied the feeding habits of the common eagle ray (<i>Myliobatis aquila</i>) in the shallow northern Adriatic Sea. Altogether we analysed the contents of 122 stomachs of specimens caught as by-catch in the Gulf of Trieste and along the west Istrian coast. Shelled molluscs (N% = 75.17...

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Main Authors: Lovrenc Lipej, Riccardo Battistella, Borut Mavrič, Danijel Ivajnšič
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Fishes
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/10/7/311
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author Lovrenc Lipej
Riccardo Battistella
Borut Mavrič
Danijel Ivajnšič
author_facet Lovrenc Lipej
Riccardo Battistella
Borut Mavrič
Danijel Ivajnšič
author_sort Lovrenc Lipej
collection DOAJ
description We studied the feeding habits of the common eagle ray (<i>Myliobatis aquila</i>) in the shallow northern Adriatic Sea. Altogether we analysed the contents of 122 stomachs of specimens caught as by-catch in the Gulf of Trieste and along the west Istrian coast. Shelled molluscs (N% = 75.17), mainly bivalves and gastropods, were the most prominent prey categories, while crustaceans, sipunculids, echinoderms and polychaets (N% < 10) represented considerably smaller numbers. With increasing size (and age) the eagle rays tend to become more experienced in preying molluscs and specialized to this prey category. The obtained results are in general in agreement with the limited existing reports on the diet of the common eagle ray in the Mediterranean Sea and adjacent areas.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 2410-3888
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Fishes
spelling doaj-art-6639055b42dc425988fec62bb9e360022025-08-20T03:58:27ZengMDPI AGFishes2410-38882025-07-0110731110.3390/fishes10070311Diet of the Common Eagle Ray, <i>Myliobatis aquila</i> (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Northern Adriatic SeaLovrenc Lipej0Riccardo Battistella1Borut Mavrič2Danijel Ivajnšič3Marine Biology Station, National Institute of Biology, SI-6330 Piran, SloveniaIndependent Researcher, Via S. Stefano 47, 35042 Este, Provincia di Padova, ItalyMarine Biology Station, National Institute of Biology, SI-6330 Piran, SloveniaFaculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, SI-2000 Maribor, SloveniaWe studied the feeding habits of the common eagle ray (<i>Myliobatis aquila</i>) in the shallow northern Adriatic Sea. Altogether we analysed the contents of 122 stomachs of specimens caught as by-catch in the Gulf of Trieste and along the west Istrian coast. Shelled molluscs (N% = 75.17), mainly bivalves and gastropods, were the most prominent prey categories, while crustaceans, sipunculids, echinoderms and polychaets (N% < 10) represented considerably smaller numbers. With increasing size (and age) the eagle rays tend to become more experienced in preying molluscs and specialized to this prey category. The obtained results are in general in agreement with the limited existing reports on the diet of the common eagle ray in the Mediterranean Sea and adjacent areas.https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/10/7/311food habitsmyliobatidontogenetic shiftAdriatic Sea
spellingShingle Lovrenc Lipej
Riccardo Battistella
Borut Mavrič
Danijel Ivajnšič
Diet of the Common Eagle Ray, <i>Myliobatis aquila</i> (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Northern Adriatic Sea
Fishes
food habits
myliobatid
ontogenetic shift
Adriatic Sea
title Diet of the Common Eagle Ray, <i>Myliobatis aquila</i> (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Northern Adriatic Sea
title_full Diet of the Common Eagle Ray, <i>Myliobatis aquila</i> (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Northern Adriatic Sea
title_fullStr Diet of the Common Eagle Ray, <i>Myliobatis aquila</i> (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Northern Adriatic Sea
title_full_unstemmed Diet of the Common Eagle Ray, <i>Myliobatis aquila</i> (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Northern Adriatic Sea
title_short Diet of the Common Eagle Ray, <i>Myliobatis aquila</i> (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Northern Adriatic Sea
title_sort diet of the common eagle ray i myliobatis aquila i linnaeus 1758 in the northern adriatic sea
topic food habits
myliobatid
ontogenetic shift
Adriatic Sea
url https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/10/7/311
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AT borutmavric dietofthecommoneaglerayimyliobatisaquilailinnaeus1758inthenorthernadriaticsea
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