Wassim Mayya1*
1Damascus University, Damascus, Syria.
(*Corresponding author: Wassim Mayya, Email: wassim.mayya@damascusuniversity.edu.sy.)
Received: 8/ 12/ 2025 Accepted: 9/ 2/ 2026
Abstract:
The current research involved studying the dietary spectrum of Acartia clausi and identifying its preferred food sources across different water layers. Its samples were collected vertically at a rate of two trips per month in the seasons continuously and gradually during the period between March and December 2025 in the coastal waters of Banias city. Hydrophysical and hydrochemical measurements were taken from three distinct areas with different environmental characteristics. The study included 63 A. clausi individuals, comprising 36 females and 27 males. The study encompassed the microstructure of the mandible and the contents of the gut, providing new data on its feeding conditions and behavior under the influence of various environmental factors. A. clausi was found to be an omnivorous species with a mixed diet consisting of diverse phytoplankton and zooplankton.
Keywords: The dietary spectrum, Mandible, Gut Content, Environmental Factors, Acartia Clausi.
Full paper in Arabic: PDF