Ross seal (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ommatophoca rossii</Emphasis>) annual distribution,diving behaviour,breeding and moulting,off Queen Maud Land,Antarctica |
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Authors: | Arnoldus Schytte Blix Erling S Nordøy |
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Institution: | 1.Department of Arctic Biology,University of Troms?,Troms?,Norway |
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Abstract: | Six out of ten adult Ross seals that were tagged with Argos satellite-linked dive recorders off Queen Maud Land, just after
the moult in February, provided data on location and diving activity throughout a year. Shortly after tagging, the animals
headed 2,000 km north and stayed pelagic in the area south of the Antarctic Polar Front, until October when they went south into the pack-ice. Throughout the year
they made about 100 dives a day, most to a depth of 100–300 m, the deepest dive on record being 792 m, while some dives were
very shallow during their stay in the pack-ice. Most dives, outside the breeding and moulting period, lasted for 5–15 min
throughout the year. This diving behaviour is consistent with feeding on mid-water fish, like Pleurogramma antarcticum, squid, and to some extent krill (Euphausia superba), when in the pack-ice, and myctophid fish and several species of squid, when in the open ocean. The nursing period was 13 days
in mid-November, and moulting occurs in late January–early February, which is the period when sightings surveys for this species
should be done. |
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Keywords: | Antarctic Squid Krill Myctophid fish Southern Ocean Diving Pack-ice |
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