@article{La Mesa_Borme_Tirelli_Di Poi_Legovini_Fonda Umani_2008, title={Feeding ecology of the transparent goby Aphia minuta (Pisces, Gobiidae) in the northwestern Adriatic Sea}, volume={72}, url={https://scientiamarina.revistas.csic.es/index.php/scientiamarina/article/view/760}, DOI={10.3989/scimar.2008.72n199}, abstractNote={The feeding ecology of the transparent goby <em>Aphia minuta</em> was examined in spring (May 2003) in the coastal waters off Comacchio, in the northwestern Adriatic Sea. Stomach content analysis indicated <em>A. minuta</em> to be a planktivorous species, feeding exclusively on pelagic invertebrates. The diet composition was dominated by the calanoid copepods <em>Acartia clausi</em> and <em>Temora longicornis</em>, followed in decreasing order of importance by other copepods (especially calanoids and <em>Oncaea</em> spp.) and larvae of decapods, polychaetes and bivalves. <em>A. minuta</em> exhibited a generalistic feeding strategy with a relatively broad niche width. Abundant taxa in the environment, such as <em>A. clausi</em> and <em>T. longicornis</em>, were seldom selected, whereas rare taxa, such as larvae of polychaetes and decapods, were highly selected. According to the observed ontogenetic shift in diet, small-size individuals relied preferentially on juvenile <em>T. longicornis</em> and <em>Oncaea</em> spp., whereas large-sized specimens consumed preferably <em>A. clausi</em> and calanoids. The positive relationship found between prey and fish size may help to mitigate the intraspecific competition for food resources.}, number={1}, journal={Scientia Marina}, author={La Mesa, Mario and Borme, Diego and Tirelli, Valentina and Di Poi, Elena and Legovini, Sara and Fonda Umani, Serena}, year={2008}, month={Mar.}, pages={99–108} }