Feeding habits and microplastic ingestion of Bogue in Mediterranean Sea

This study examines the feeding habits of the bogue (Boops boops, L.) and the presence of microplastics (MPs) in the gastrointestinal contents in the North Evoikos Gulf, a region characterized by intense anthropogenic and industrial activity. Seasonal sampling of 230 individuals was conducted during 2022 and 2024. The protocol Medsealitter was used to assess MPs presence, abundance, size, type, color. Diet analysis revealed an opportunistic feeding behavior, with Crustacea being the dominant prey (53.6%). Microplastics, detected in 56.1% of the samples (mean: 1.74 MPs/individual), were the main plastic items found (97%). Most of them were fibers, black in color. Polyethylene (36%) and polypropylene (21%) were the most common polymers. No correlation was found between the microplastics number and biological parameters (length, weight, stomach content weight). A low positive correlation was found between the microplastics number and condition factor, which possibly suggests no effect of microplastics on the species.