Trophic Diversity of a Fish Community Associated with a Caulerpa prolifera (Forsskål) Meadow in a Shallow Semi-Enclosed Embayment

This study investigates the trophic diversity of fishes living in a meadow Caulerpa prolifera on bimonthly basis between May 2006 and April 2007 semi-enclosed coastal marine ecosystem Mediterranean Sea (Elounda Bay, Crete Island). The area is shallow protected from waves, it covered by C. bed, characterized high organic input highly diverse macrobenthic community. Feeding patterns fish, investigated stomach content analyses, were described terms numerical abundance frequency occurrence prey taxa. A total 1642 fish individuals, belonging to 17 species, examined. In total, 45,674 individuals identified 110 taxa, most which Malacostraca including their larvae Copepoda (41,175 71 taxa). Four different groups identified: herbivorous, pelagic, benthic (hyperbenthic) piscivorous. Trophic species studied also compared relative availability zooplanktonic taxa during same period area. coexistence many different, mostly but juveniles implies flexibility, probably important for survival this particular habitat. Results present provide basic knowledge interactions and, therefore, some evidence as protection value habitat, essential implementation multispecies approach decision-makers managers fisheries sources region.