Caracterização morfométrica e composição da dieta da raia Hypanus guttatus (DASYATIDAE) da costa central do Ceará

Abstract

The longnose stingray, Hypanus guttatus , is a species of demersal batoid common to the tropical and subtropical west Atlantic waters. It has been caught in artisanal and industrial fisheries on the north and northeast coast of Brazil, especially as accompanying fauna. This species is captured by arti sanal fishing from Ceará, where they are appreciated for regional cuisine (‘moqueca de arraia’). In this context, the present study aimed to characterize the external morphometry and diet composition of H. guttatus from the central coast of Ceará . From sci entific samplings carried out between May 2007 and February 2008 off Fortaleza, CE, the detailed external morphometry of H. guttatus (n = 50) was taken for the first time for the state of Ceará . The measures with the greatest range of variation in the prop ortion of the disk width were the total length and the length of the tail. The species' diet was also characterized by analyzing the stomach contents of 20 of these specimens. Individuals in this region eat crustaceans and polychaetes, with the juvenile di et being mostly composed of crustaceans, while adults have a preference for polychaetes.