Aspectos biológicos do peixe-olhudo-dentinho, Synagrops bellus (Actinopterygii: Acropomatidae), da plataforma externa e talude superior do estado de São Paulo, Brasil

Abstract

Biological aspects of the blackmouth bass Synagrops bellus from the outer shelf and upper slope along the coast of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil, are presented. The species represented about 71.6% and 9.7% in number of the total catch performed by balloom trawl in the isobaths of 300m and 500m respectively. Body sizes of 266 individuals ranged between 130 and 265mm total length, with sex ratio of 55.9% males, and 44.1% females, where most individuals were in maturation stage. Twenty two food items were found, pointing out Myctophidae fishes, Penaeidea and Caridea shrimps, Brachyuran megalopae, Enoploteuthidae and Cranchiidae cephalopods, pteropods and tunicates. The intestinal coefficient increases as the body size increase, and the number of gill rakers ranged between 16 and 17. Length-weight relationship was WT = 6.0×10-6 × TL3.12, r2 = 0.9495. Synagrops bellus is an important link between zooplankton and micronekton, and demersal and pelagic predators in the outer shelf and upper slope in southwestern Brazilian coast.