On Feeding of Two Squid Species in the Northwest Atlantic

Feeding studies of short-finned (Illex illecebrosus) andlong-finned (Loligo pealei) squids were conducted during the May to November period of 1976 on the Nova Scotian shelf, on Georges Bank and in adjacent waters. The analysis of 2 604 sp. Of Illex and 578 sp. of Loligo, showed that the food composition of both species was predominated by fish and squids. Cannibalism was more typical of short-finned squids and the fish were a prevalent food items in the long-finned squids' diet. In all areas and at all depths, coefficients of stomach fullness for larger short-finned squids were 1.5-2 times higher than for smaller specimens, although the feeding intensity of both groups was low. The feeding intensity of immature long-finned squids was higher than that of mature specimens