Burukovsky R.N. 2010. [Biology of the shrimps Sergia regalis (Gordon, 1939) (Crustacea: Sergestidae) in waters of Namibia] // Invertebrate Zoology. Vol.7 No.1: 71–80 [in Russian, with English summary].
Kaliningrad State Technical University, 236000 Kaliningrad, Russia; e-mail: burukovsky@klgtu.ru
doi: 10.15298/invertzool.07.1.05
KEY WORDS: plankton, food chains, Sergia regalis, distribution, biology, feeding, hunting mode.
ABSTRACT: The circumtropical species Sergia regalis belongs to the mesopelagic strongly migratory species. In Namibia waters (South-East Atlantic) these shrimps feed on the euphausiids, radiolarians and copepods which form 28.5, 30.9, 32.7% of volume of virtual bolus respectively. At the early stages of ontogenesis S. regalis is a grazing plankton feeder-predator which feeds mainly on copepods and small radiolarians (micro- and mesoplankton). Having grown up, the feed on predatory euphausiids including Nematoscelis megalops (macroplankton) thus becoming aggressive plankton predator. S. regalis is a member of grazing food chain. These shrimps are basic objects of feeding objects for the fish Merluccius polli oss Angola. S. regalis provides 18% of Merluccius polli virtual bolus weight.