The importance of amphipods in diets of marine species with aquaculture interest of andalusian coast

Amphipods are crustacean with high nutritional quality and great potential to be reared as food for species of aquaculture interest. They play a fundamental rol in energetic exchange of trophic chain as predators’ resource. To evaluate the importance of this group, the feeding habits of 10 species (eight finfish and two cephalopods) of Andalusian coast have been reviewed. Amphipods are present in diet of consolidated species in aquaculture like Sparus aurata, Dicentrarchus labrax and Solea senegalensis, althought they are not used in any production step. There are a lot of other species where amphipods could play an important rol in their intensive cultures, like Sepia officinalis, Octopus vulgaris, Solea solea, Mullus surmuletus and M. barbatus, in addition to the genus Hippocampus, with great interest in the field of fishkeeping. It is necessary to intensify research of these crustacean to evaluate correctly their importance as preys in the wild and to quantify their nutritional values as an alternative food source