Cephalopods in the Diet of Albacore, Thunnus alalunga, from the Adriatic Sea

The stomachs of 56 albacore (Thunnus alalunga) caught in the southern Adriatic Sea contained 222 cephalopods, or 29% of prey. Most cephalopod remains were from small specimens. Juveniles and adults of Heteroteuthis dispar (61.5% of cephalopods) were more frequently preyed upon in the ‘inshore’ fishing area (bottom depth: 100-700 m); early juveniles of Todarodes sagittatus (21.6%) were more abundant ‘ offshore’ (750- 1,150 m); early juveniles of Histioteuthis bonnellii (16.4%) were exclusive of the latter area. The estimated overall number of cephalopods dying of predation by albacore is 6.3 × 106 specimens/fishing season (two months).