We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Feeding habits and microplastic ingestion of Bogue in Mediterranean Sea
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined feeding habits and microplastic ingestion in bogue (Boops boops) from the North Evoikos Gulf, Mediterranean Sea, sampling 230 individuals across 2022 and 2024, finding microplastics in 56.1% of specimens at a mean of 1.74 MPs/individual and an opportunistic diet dominated by crustaceans with microplastics representing a key gastrointestinal content category.
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.
More Papers Like This
Microplastics in the bogue, Boops boops: A snapshot of the past from the southern Tyrrhenian Sea
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found 180 plastic particles in 65 Boops boops specimens from the Gulf of Patti collected in 2010, representing the first Mediterranean record of microplastic ingestion in this species, with polypropylene and polyethylene fragments and fibers as the dominant forms.
High levels of microplastic ingestion by the semipelagic fish bogue Boops boops (L.) around the Balearic Islands
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found microplastics in 68% of bogue fish stomachs sampled in the Balearic Islands, with only fiber-type microplastics present. The high ingestion rate in this semi-pelagic Mediterranean fish suggests widespread exposure in the water column and raises concerns about plastic transfer through the food web in this sea.
Spatial variability and influence of biological parameters on microplastic ingestion by Boops boops (L.) along the Italian coasts (Western Mediterranean Sea)
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers analyzed microplastic ingestion by Boops boops (bogue fish) across multiple Italian coastal sites in the Western Mediterranean, finding that ingestion rates varied by body size, season, and location, and that this widely consumed fish is a suitable bioindicator for microplastic monitoring.
Using Boops boops (osteichthyes) to assess microplastic ingestion in the Mediterranean Sea
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers assessed microplastic ingestion in 884 Boops boops fish caught at 20 coastal sites across Spain, France, Italy, and Greece, finding microplastics in 46.8% of individuals with an average of 1.17 items per fish, predominantly filaments composed of polyethylene and polypropylene.
Microplastics in marine biota of North Aegean Sea: Summarizing and comparing preliminary findings
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined microplastics ingested by three commercially harvested marine species — bogue fish, Mediterranean mussels, and blue crabs — in the North Aegean Sea, finding between 1 and 3 microplastic items per individual on average. Fragment-shaped particles smaller than 200 micrometers were most common, with polyethylene among the dominant polymer types, highlighting the contamination of seafood that humans consume.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.