Predation on meiofauna by juvenile fish in a Western Mediterranean flatfish nursery ground

The authors investigated the gut contents of juveniles of three flatfish species (Buglossidium luteum, Arnoglossus thori and A. laterna) collected from Banyuls Bay, Western Mediterranean, from January 1981 through June 1982. Young solenettes, B. luteum, appear to be dependent on meiofauna, particularly harpacticoid copepods, as prey during their first year of benthic life. By comparison, the scaldfish, especially A. laterna, prey primarily upon peracarids from the beginning of their benthic life. Evidence of prey selection exists for the genera Photis (amphipod) and Longipedia (harpacticoid copepod). By regrouping these results with those of Bodiou and Villiers (1978/1979) on the goby Deltentosteus quadrimaculatus, and comparing them with other data from the literature, it appears that the impact of predation by juvenile fish is significant for some meiofaunal species, providing that they are actively selected by the predators, as is Longipedia scotti. Generally, however, predation impact on the meiofauna as a whole is weak.