A study to estimate the relative importance of mangrove primary carbon and nitrogen sources to five commercial penaeid shrimps species was done at Saco da Inhaca, a non-estuarine mangrove-fringed bay on Inhaca Island, southern Mozambique. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios were determined in a variety of primary producers (mangroves, epiphytes, phytoplankton and seagrasses), sediments and in five penaeid shrimp species (Penaeus (Fenneropenaeus) indicus, P. japonicus, P. semisulcatus, Metapenaeus monoceros and M. stebbingi), collected within the bay in different habitats and during two different periods. The penaeid shrimps showed 13C values ranging from â 13 to â 19 â °, (average of â 15.6 ± 0.4 â °, n=19) which is highly enriched compared to... |