Trophic ecology of large pelagic fish in the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, Brazil

2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (10) ◽  
pp. 1402 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. V. Albuquerque ◽  
A. F. Navia ◽  
T. Vaske ◽  
O. Crespo ◽  
F. H. V. Hazin
Keyword(s):  
Trophic Ecology ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Saint Paul ◽  
Pelagic Fish ◽  
Trophic Niche ◽  
Trophic Relationships ◽  
Main Prey ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Saint Peter ◽  
Prey Items

Trophic relationships of large pelagic predators can determine the structure and dynamics of oceanic food webs. The feeding habits and trophic ecology of five large pelagic fish (Acanthocybium solandri, Coryphaena hippurus, Elagatis bipinnulata, Thunnus albacares and Thunnus atlanticus) in the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago were evaluated to determine whether there is a trophic-niche overlap or resource partitioning among them. Eighty prey items found in 1528 stomachs were identified and grouped into Cephalopoda, Cnidaria, Crustacea, Gastropoda, Teleostei and Tunicata. Exocoetidae and Scombridae were the main prey in the diet of Acanthocybium solandri. In C. hippurus, Cheilopogon cyanopterus and Exocoetus volitans were the most important prey items, whereas C. cyanopterus was the main prey for T. albacares. Thunnus atlanticus consumed a great proportion of invertebrate species, with shrimps of Sergestidae family being particularly important. The gastropod Cavolinia sp. was the most important prey for E. bipinnulata. The five species had a high trophic specialisation and a high trophic level (>4.4), whereas most dietary overlaps were consistently low. The most important factor for diet dissimilarity was the consumption of Exocoetidade. All species were classified as top predators with varied diets, indicating their structural and functional importance in the food web of the Archipelago.

scholarly journals Feeding habits of the spotted rose snapper, Lutjanus guttatus, (Actinopterygii, Perciformes, Lutjanidae), in the central Gulf of California, BCS, Mexico

2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-105
Author(s):  
Filius L. Valle-Lopez ◽  
Xchel G. Moreno-Sánchez ◽  
Marina S. Irigoyen-Arredondo ◽  
Leonardo A. Abitia-Cárdenas ◽  
Emigdio Marín-Enríquez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of California ◽  
Trophic Ecology ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Feeding Strategy ◽  
Trophic Niche ◽  
Trophic Plasticity ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Management Measures ◽  
Reported Study ◽  
Santa Rosalia

The spotted rose snapper, Lutjanus guttatus (Steindachner, 1869), is an important resource for the coastal fisheries of the Gulf of California, mainly due to its high commercial value. Despite this, there are no management measures for this species, owing in part to a lack of information on its basic biology and its trophic ecology in the area. In this context, the presently reported study had as objective to describe the feeding habits of L. guttatus through stomach content analyses, as well as to describe possible changes linked to sex, size, and season. Specimens were caught monthly from June 2016 to September 2017 with gillnets in Santa Rosalía, BCS, Mexico. The abundance, weight, and frequency of occurrence of each prey were assessed, and these parameters were integrated into the index of relative importance (%IRI) to determine the importance of each prey item in the L. guttatus diet. The Levin’s index was used to assess the trophic niche width of the species, the feeding strategy was evaluated using Costello’s graphic method and the trophic level was calculated. Finally, to establish whether there were significant differences in the diet by sex, size, or season a PERMANOVA test was used with a 95% confidence level. A total of 202 L. guttatus stomachs were analyzed, 191 of which contained food. A total of 26 prey items were identified. According to the %IRI, the most important prey were the teleost fishes Harengula thrissina (Jordan et Gilbert, 1882) (45.7%) and Sardinops sagax (Jenyns, 1842) (34.8%), the euphausiid Nyctiphanes simplex (13.4%), and the crustacean Penaeus spp. (5.6%). The PERMANOVA analysis resulted in significant differences between the analyzed categories; however, there were no significant differences in the interactions among the categories. According to Levin’s index, L. guttatus had a narrow trophic width, with changes in the main prey consumed by the different categories. According to our results, L. guttatus can be considered a benthopelagic opportunistic carnivorous predator with a narrow trophic niche, presenting mostly quantitative variations in its diet according to sex, size, and season. Its trophic plasticity allows it to take advantage of the most available and abundant food resources.

scholarly journals Trophic ecology of the Patagonian skate, Bathyraja macloviana, on the Argentine continental shelf

2006 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 867-874 ◽  
Author(s):  
L.B. Scenna ◽  
S.B. García de la Rosa ◽  
J.M. Díaz de Astarloa
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Continental Shelf ◽  
Trophic Ecology ◽  
Niche Breadth ◽  
Feeding Strategy ◽  
Reproductive Behaviour ◽  
Trophic Niche ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
High Degree ◽  
Prey Items

Abstract The diet, feeding strategy, and dentition of the Patagonian skate, Bathyraja macloviana, on the northern continental shelf of Argentina were studied from specimens collected during research cruises in September and October 2001. Of a total of 81 stomachs examined, only 3.7% were empty. Cumulative prey curves showed that sample sizes were adequate to describe the main prey items of the diet. Quantitative analysis, a graphical method, and trophic niche breadth indicated the species to be a specialized feeder. The most important prey items were polychaetes, followed by gammarid amphipods, isopods, and crabs. Cumaceans, ophiuroids, and hydrozoans were likely incidentally consumed by mature females. Sexual dimorphism in dentition was observed; mature males had longer and sharper tooth cusps than females or immature males. However, there was a high degree of dietary overlap between mature males and mature females, indicating that dental sexual dimorphism in the species is more important in reproductive behaviour than in differential prey consumption.

Régimen alimentario de Triturus helveticus durante el período reproductor en el NE de la península Ibérica

1992 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xavier Fontanet
Keyword(s):  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Main Prey ◽  
The Third ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Food And Feeding ◽  
Península Ibérica

AbstractI describe the food and feeding habits of 61 adult palmate newts during their aquatic phase from three localities in NE Iberia. 1 used the stomach-flushing method to obtain the prey, of the newts with 100 % efficacy. Diptera were overall the most important prey of palmate newts. Diptera and Ostracoda were the main prey in two localities, but in the third locality only Ostracoda were the main prey. There was generally an interpopulation trophic segregation. Analyzing the data at different localities demonstrated trophic segregation at Serra de Daró and Canet d'Adri, while Podocopa dominated the diet at Fogars del Tordera.

scholarly journals Trophic ecology and foraging behavior of Tropidurus hispidus and Tropidurus semitaeniatus (Squamata, Tropiduridae) in a caatinga area of northeastern Brazil

2011 ◽  
Vol 101 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonardo B. Ribeiro ◽  
Eliza M. X. Freire
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Behavior ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Trophic Ecology ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Northeastern Brazil ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Lizard Species ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Lepidopteran Larvae ◽  
Prey Items

This study aimed to analyze the seasonal variation in diet composition and foraging behavior of Tropidurus hispidus (Spix, 1825) and T. semitaeniatus (Spix, 1825), as well as measurement of the foraging intensity (number of moves, time spent stationary, distance traveled and number of attacks on prey items) in a caatinga patch on the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Hymenoptera/Formicidae and Isoptera predominated in the diet of both species during the dry season. Opportunistic predation on lepidopteran larvae, coleopteran larvae and adults, and orthopteran nymphs and adults occurred in the wet season; however, hymenopterans/Formicidae were the most important prey items. The number of food items was similar between lizard species in both seasons; however the overlap for number of prey was smaller in the wet season. Preys ingested by T. hispidus during the wet season were also larger than those consumed by T. semitaeniatus. Seasonal comparisons of foraging intensity between the two species differed, mainly in the wet season, when T. hispidus exhibited less movement and fewer attacks on prey, and more time spent stationary if compared to T. semitaeniatus. Although both lizards are sit-and-wait foragers, T. semitaeniatus is more active than T. hispidus. The diet and foraging behavior of T. hispidus and T. semitaeniatus overlap under limiting conditions during the dry season, and are segregative factors that may contribute to the coexistence of these species in the wet season.

Feeding habits of the sandskate Psammobatis extenta (Garman, 1913): sources of variation in dietary composition

2005 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 395 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Matías Braccini ◽  
Jorge E. Perez
Keyword(s):  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Seasonal Patterns ◽  
Dietary Composition ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Eastern Brazil ◽  
Prey Diversity ◽  
Sources Of Variation ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Prey Items

Understanding the variation in the diet of skates is crucial for determining their roles in marine ecosystems. The diet of 458 sandskates, Psammobatis extenta, from Puerto Quequén, Argentina was quantified to determine whether there was geographical, sexual, ontogenetic, and/or seasonal variation in dietary composition. Cumulative prey-diversity curves reached a stable level at ~30 stomachs and thus the sample size was large enough to describe the overall diet of the sandskate. The diet comprised a variety of small invertebrates, suggesting that the sandskate is a secondary consumer (trophic level of 3.5). The most important prey items were gammarids, shrimps and, to a lesser extent, polychaete worms. A significant correlation was found between the diets of sandskates from south-eastern Brazil and Puerto Quequén, suggesting that in both locations they used similar resources and would have similar ecological roles. No difference was found between the diets of males and females, but ontogenetic and seasonal patterns were detected. Small sandskates preyed largely on gammarids and shrimps but consumed fewer polychaetes and brachyurans than larger individuals. In summer and winter, the most important prey item by number was gammarids, whereas the consumption of shrimps peaked in autumn. This ontogenetic and seasonal pattern indicates that large and small sandskates are versatile predators that can shift their diets in response to prey abundance.

scholarly journals Diets of herring, mackerel, and blue whiting in the Norwegian Sea in relation to Calanus finmarchicus distribution and temperature conditions

2006 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina Prokopchuk ◽  
Evgeniy Sentyabov
Keyword(s):  
Stomach Content ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Pelagic Fish ◽  
Calanus Finmarchicus ◽  
Norwegian Sea ◽  
Main Prey ◽  
Blue Whiting ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Hydrographic Conditions ◽  
Feeding Area

Abstract Diets of Norwegian spring-spawning herring, mackerel, and blue whiting in the Norwegian Sea are investigated in relation to the distribution of plankton and hydrographic conditions. Fish stomachs and zooplankton samples were collected during summer (June and July) cruises in 2001 and 2002. Calanus finmarchicus was the principal prey of mackerel, accounting for 53–98% of total stomach content by weight. The diet composition of herring varied depending on feeding area and availability of food under various environmental conditions. C. finmarchicus was important prey for herring only in July 2001 (about 77% by weight) in the central part of the sea and in June 2002 (about 82% by weight) near the Lofotens. In July 2002 appendicularians (Oikopleura spp.), amphipods (mainly Parathemisto abissorum), and euphausiids were important in the diet of herring, and at some stations cannibalism was observed. The main prey of blue whiting were amphipods (10–34% by weight), appendicularians (11–34%), and euphausiids (8–47%), as they usually feed deep in the water column, though C. finmarchicus was important, particularly in June 2002, when blue whiting were caught in the upper layers of the sea. Higher water temperatures indirectly affect pelagic fish through accelerated development of their prey and favourable conditions for migration farther north.

Feeding ecology, growth and sexual cycle of the sand sole, Solea lascaris, along the Portuguese coast

2009 ◽  
Vol 89 (3) ◽  
pp. 621-627 ◽  
Author(s):  
Célia M. Teixeira ◽  
Ana Pinheiro ◽  
Henrique N. Cabral
Keyword(s):  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Gonadosomatic Index ◽  
Age And Growth ◽  
Sexual Cycle ◽  
Growth Equation ◽  
Von Bertalanffy ◽  
Portuguese Coast ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Von Bertalanffy Growth Equation ◽  
Prey Items

Sand sole, Solea lascaris, were collected along the Portuguese coast, between October 2002 and July 2003, to examine feeding habits, age and growth and sexual cycle. The most important prey items were Mysidacea, Amphipoda and Polychaeta. Differences in diet according to season and length size were found: Amphipoda were very important in diet during winter, while Echinodermata were consumed mostly in summer; smaller individuals feed on Amphipoda while larger feed on Decapoda. Age of S. lascaris was determined from sagittae otoliths. The length of fish analysed ranged from 61 mm to 340 mm. The von Bertalanffy growth equation parameters differed significantly between sexes (L∞ = 342.3 mm, k = 0.50, t0 = −0.87 and L∞ = 264.5 mm, k = 0.82, t0 = 0.13, females and males, respectively). The highest values of the gonadosomatic index were obtained in winter and spring, when the highest proportion of individuals at spawning stage was recorded.

scholarly journals Trophic ecology of Patagonian flounder Paralichthys patagonicus (Jordan, 1889) in the Argentine-Uruguayan Coastal Ecosystem

2021 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gonzalo H. Troccoli ◽  
Andrés C. Milessi ◽  
Noemí Marí ◽  
Daniel Figueroa ◽  
Agustín M. De Wysiecki
Keyword(s):  
Food Habits ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Trophic Ecology ◽  
Pelagic Fish ◽  
Coastal Ecosystem ◽  
Prey Category ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Content Analyses ◽  
Size Groups ◽  
Wet Weight

Food habits and diet composition of Patagonian flounder Paralichthys patagonicus (Jordan, 1889) were studied on the basis of stomach content analyses from 828 specimens (512 females, 304 males, 12 unsexed) collected during 16 commercial cruises between February 2009 and April 2010 in the Argentine-Uruguayan Coastal Ecosystem (34° S-41° S). A total of 272 stomachs (32.9%) contained food (184 females and 84 males), among which 20 prey taxa were identified. The most important prey category was pelagic fish, primarily Argentine anchovy (Engraulis anchoita), followed by rough scad (Trachurus lathami). Evidence showed that females consumed a higher total wet weight of prey compared to males. Results also suggested a specialised diet over E. anchoita, across all sex and size groups. The estimated trophic level for the population of P. patagonicus was 4.16. This study suggests that P. patagonicus is a tertiary piscivorous consumer of the trophic food web in the region, and reveals changes in the prey consumption compared with previous studies.

scholarly journals Monitoring of the trophic ecology of pipefish species (Syngnathus abaster, Syngnathus acus) in an alluvial lake habitat (Lake Bafa, Turkey)

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-32
Author(s):  
Sule Gurkan ◽  
Deniz Innal ◽  
Iskender Gulle
Keyword(s):  
Trophic Ecology ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Food Competition ◽  
Lake Ecosystem ◽  
Lake Area ◽  
Coastal Lake ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Length Group ◽  
Morphological Differences ◽  
Prey Length

Abstract The present study investigated the trophic ecology of two species living in an alluvial lake ecosystem in terms of season, length groups, sex, and mouth morphology. The fish were caught in a coastal lake area between December 2014 and March 2016 using a seine. In general, C. aquaedulcis was the most important prey for S. abaster, accounting for 10.99% of all prey, while amphipods accounted for 54.04% of the S. acus diet. Amphipods were the most frequently consumed prey in autumn, while C. aquaedulcis was the most important prey in spring. This result indicates that the species preferred similar prey groups and generated food competition depending on the season. The short-length group contained samples of S. abaster with empty guts, whereas S. acus in the same group consumed C. aquaedulcis. Length group II and III of individuals indicated that both species consumed amphipods and juvenile Syngnathus sp. Thus, the two species had statistically different preferences in terms of prey length. The mouth width of S. abaster was larger than that of S. acus. In conclusion, zooplankton constituted the main prey for both species in the lake and the morphological differences between the mouth apparatus of the species were due to the differences in feeding habits.

scholarly journals Diet of the oilfish Ruvettus pretiosus (Perciformes: Gempylidae) in the Saint Peter and Saint Paul archipelago, Brazil

2012 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle de Lima Viana ◽  
Mariana Travassos Tolotti ◽  
Mariana Porto ◽  
Rodolfo Jorge Vale de Araújo ◽  
Teodoro Vaske Júnior ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saint Paul ◽  
Reproductive Period ◽  
Shallow Waters ◽  
Mesopelagic Fish ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Food Items ◽  
Vertical Range ◽  
Flying Fish ◽  
Saint Peter ◽  
Prey Items

Feeding aspects of the oilfish, Ruvettus pretiosus, were studied based on 360 stomachs of both male and female specimens caught off the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago. The total length of the specimens ranged from 52.4 cm to 189.0 cm. Of the 360 stomachs examined, 135 presented some food and 225 were empty. Thirty-four taxa were identified, represented by 16 fish, 17 cephalopods and 1 crustacean. The stabilization of the food items richness was attained at 35 food items and 104 stomachs, approximately. A remarkable predation upon the flying fish Cheilopogon cyanopterus was observed around SPSPA, directly related to the main reproductive period of this species in the area. The oilfish's food spectrum shows that the species feeds on a wide vertical range in the water column, catching prey items at the surface or in shallow waters, as well as epi-mesopelagic fish, in addition to mesopelagic cephalopods.

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