Feeding habits of the Atlantic stargazer fish Uranoscopus scaber Linnaeus, 1758 (Family: Uranoscopidae) in Egyptian Mediterranean waters

The examination of 418 stomachs of Uranoscopus scaber in the Egyptian Mediterranean waters showed that the feeding intensity had a maximum value during April (85%). Analysis of food contents revealed that this species is mostly carnivorous fish, that feeds on a broad food items including pisces, crustaceans, molluscs, echinoderms, annelids, algae and higher plants. Spicara smarts and S,flexuosa (Family: Centracanthidae) were the main fish prey in the diet of stargazers.The test of seasonal diversity index of food items exhibited high value during spring (H = 1.43) than in other seasons, due to wide diversity of food. Regarding the feeding diversity according to size groups, it was found to be high for fishes of large size groups of more than 20.0 cm (H = 1.41). The test of food overlap according to seasons showed significant overlapping among all seasons with exception between autumn and winter. Significant overlapping was found between all size groups ( 15.0 cm, 15.0-20.0 cm and 20 cm)