HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Defense Date

1996

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.S. Marine Biology

Department

Oceanographic Center

First Advisor

Richard E. Spieler

Second Advisor

Curtis M. Burney

Third Advisor

Charles G. Messing

Abstract

Urolophus jamaicensis, the yellow stingray, is a common elasmobranch found on and around the coral reefs off Florida's southeastern coast. Its diet consists of polychaetes, crustaceans, nemerteans, sipunculids, nematodes, and chaetognaths with polychaetes and crustaceans comprising almost 67% of the stomach contents by volume. There does not appear to be any diet preference between the male and females stingrays. The seasonal changes in diet preference are limited to an increase in the proportion of polychaetes found in the stomach during spring when compared to fall.

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