Food selection and consumption of the shrimp Crangon crangon in some shallow marine areas in western Sweden

Abstract

Crangon crangon L. is the dominant mobile epibenthic species i n shallow waters of western Sweden. We report on seasonal food selection, die1 food intake, and quantify consumption of C. crangon in 4 different areas with different substrate and exposure. The main food item for smallsized C. crangon were rneiofauna, mainly ostracods and harpacticoids. Mid-sized and large shrimp preferred macrofauna such as Mya arenaria, Cardium edule, Nereis spp. and Corophium volutator. In some years also mobile epibenthossuch as Carcinus maenas, C. crangon and mysideswere eaten.