Diet and foraging opportunism of the Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) in the Abrolhos Bank,Brazil

Diet analysis allows exploring how coastal dolphins interact with the environment and their role in the marine food webs. We studied the diet and feeding ecology of the Guiana dolphin, Sotalia guianensis, through analysis of stomach content from 42 animals stranded on the eastern coast of Brazil. A total of 1,336 semidigested prey items (fish, otoliths, cephalopod beaks, and crustaceans) were identified. Teleost fish comprised the most frequent food item (92% of the total), followed by cephalopods, and crustaceans. Prey belonged to 34 taxa and richness in individual stomachs varied from 1 to 15 prey taxa. Prey were generally small, but showed a significant trend to increase in size with dolphin length. The main prey of Guiana dolphins were demersal, estuarine, and sound-making fish such as catfish and sciaenids. No sex-related differences in diet were found. Diet composition varied seasonally and occurrence of prey items was coherent with breeding or high abundance periods of some fish species and squids. Our study shows the importance of demersal prey from estuarine and soft-sediment habitats to Guiana dolphin in the Abrolhos Bank and reveals that feeding habits are generalist and opportunistic, with diet reflecting the seasonal abundance and availability of prey.     

STOMACH CONTENTS OF FALSE KILLER WHALES (PSEUDORCA CRASSIDENS) STRANDED ON THE COASTS OF THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN,TIERRA DEL FUEGO

We examined the stomachs of 25 false killer whales collected from a mass stranding of 181 animals along both coasts of the Strait of Magellan, Chile, in March 1989. The 21 stomachs (nine males and 12 females), with food remains contained 11 prey species (nine cephalopods and two fishes) with a total of 442 individuals. Except for one case, food remains were meager, indicating that the animals had not eaten for some time or through stress had vomited on the beach. Eleven of the 21 animals had mud (often with squid beaks) in the esophagus and first stomach. The prey were identified employing squid beaks, fish otoliths and bones, and their wet weights were estimated using regressions between hard parts and known weights of species. The most important prey were the oceanic and neritic-oceanic squids, Martialia byadesi and Illex argentinus, followed by the neritic fish, Macruronus magellanicus. Of less importance were the oceanic squid, Todaroes fillipovae, the oceanic and epipelagic octopus, Ocytboe sp., and the oceanic squid, Moroteuthis ingens. The rest of the prey were poorly represented and included four oceanic squids and one neritic fish. The prey species of these animals were subantarctic, with two antarctic species, abundant over the Patagonian shelf and adjacent oceanic waters around Tierra del Fuego.     

PYGMY SPERM WHALES KOGIA BREVICEPS IN THE NORTHEAST ATLANTIC: NEW INFORMATION ON STOMACH CONTENTS AND STRANDINGS

Little is known about the feeding ecology of pygmy sperm whales ( Kogia breviceps ) in the Northeast Atlantic. Results are presented on the stomach contents of five whales stranded on the Galician coast (NW Spain) between 1995 and 2002 and seven whales stranded on the French Atlantic coast between 1984 and 2001. These results are compared with those obtained from the stomach contents of two pygmy sperm whales (a pregnant female and her calf ) stranded on the Scottish (UK) coast in 1999, the first records of the species in Scotland. In 13 out of 14 cases, food remains consisted almost entirely of cephalopod beaks, although some crustacean and fish remains were also present. In all the Spanish specimens, the identified prey were oceanic species: the cephalopods Histioteuthis reversa , H. bonnellii , Todarodes sagittatus , the viperfish Chauliodus sloani , and the giant mysid Gnatophausia sp. The same cephalopod species were found in the stomachs of the whales stranded in Scotland, although both whales had also consumed neritic cephalopod species such as Rossia macrosoma and other sepiolids. In the French specimens, almost all prey identified were oceanic cephalopods ( H. reversa , Brachioteuthis riseii , T. sagittatus , Taonius pavo , etc. ), but remains of crustaceans and a neritic squid ( Loligo forbesi ) were also found. One whale from France had eaten mainly Henslow's swimming crab ( Polybius henslowi ). Results from the present study are consistent with those found by other authors in the Azores and the Canary Islands in that pygmy sperm whales appear to be mainly teuthophagous, with histioteuthid squids forming an important part of the diet. Strandings records suggest that occurrence of pygmy sperm whales in the NE Atlantic may be seasonal, with most strandings occurring in autumn and winter.     

Diet of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) off the south-east coast of southern Africa: opportunism or specialization?

A total of 297 common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) stomachs was used for these diet analyses. All originated from common dolphins incidentally captured in Natal, where their occurrence is strongly associated with an annual, northward fish migration, the sardine run, along the east coast. Thirty-six fish and four cephalopod prey species were identified. Though 86.9% by weight of the diet was made up of only five prey species, common dolphins appear to feed opportunistically, their diet reflecting local prey abundance and availability. Prey were primarily small, easily-caught, pelagic shoaling species, with the main prey being South African pilchard (Sardinops ocellatus). Although pilchard dominated the diet between 1974 and 1992, there were marked annual and seasonal fluctuations in dietary composition, reflecting changes in prey availability and abundance. There were clear differences in the contribution of particular prey species to the diet of different sex and size groups, with strong evidence for resource partitioning between groups. The influence of the annual 'sardine run', and the fish predators associated with it, on the diet, feeding biology and distribution of common dolphins is discussed.     

Stomach contents of mass-stranded short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) from North Carolina

We examined the stomach contents of 27 short‐finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) that mass stranded on the North Carolina coast on 15 January 2005. Eleven whales had prey parts in their forestomachs. We used frequency of occurrence and numerical abundance to assess the relative importance of prey. Brachioteuthis riisei (numerical abundance 28%), an oceanic species, was the most important cephalopod prey, but Taonius pavo (12%) and Histioteuthis reversa (9%) also represented a substantial part of the diet. A large number of otoliths belonging to the fish Scopelogadus beanii were present (25%). These results differ from reports of the stomach contents of short‐finned pilot whales from the Pacific coast in which neritic species dominate the diet. Our findings also suggest that there is a considerable difference between the diet of short‐ and long‐finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) in the western North Atlantic. The latter feed predominantly on the long‐finned squid (Loligo pealei) whereas the former feed on deep‐water species. Our results indicate the whales fed primarily off the continental shelf prior to stranding.     

Spatial and temporal variation in the diet of the gentoo penguin (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pygoscelis papua</Emphasis>) at Kerguelen Islands

Benthic divers are dependent on local resources and may therefore adopt different foraging strategies to cope with their energetic requirements in varying situations. We investigated the diet of gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) at Kerguelen Islands, comparing its spatial and temporal variations with the general prey distribution. The study was conducted at four sites over 2 years. In total, 212 stomach contents were collected over the entire breeding season. The diet was composed mainly of neritic fish and crustaceans, with important spatial and seasonal variations. Fish dominated the diet at localities facing the open sea (from 38.0% to 94.6% by mass), whereas crustaceans dominated at the more protected site (84.3% by mass). Fish were more abundant in the winter diet and Euphausia vallentini, the major crustacean species, was more abundant in the summer diet. No inter-year variations were detected. These results are consistent with local prey availability, and highlight the large plasticity of the gentoo penguin diet and foraging behaviour.     

Generalists as sequential specialists: diets and prey switching in juvenile silver perch

Diets of silver perch, Bidyanus bidyanus, in organically fertilised aquaculture ponds were dominated by chironomid larvae, Daphnia and calanoid copepods. Insects and crustaceans contributed approximately 80% and 20% by weight to the diet respectively. Classification of the stomach contents of individual fish revealed 8 diet groups, 4 of which were dominated by planktonic crustaceans and 4 by insects. Each diet group was strongly dominated by a different prey type. Fish from the same sample tended to belong to the same diet group and there was a non-random distribution of diet groups across ponds. Perch diets were influenced by the method of pond fertilisation (livestock effluent or pellet feed). Shifts in the representation of groups indicated that fish switched from one diet group to another over a 2–4 week period. The selection of planktonic prey by perch was related to prey densities in the ponds. Fish preferred Daphnia when these prey were common, but switched to calanoids and insects when Daphnia were scarce. A perfect rank correlation between the mean body size of planktonic prey and their contribution to the diet suggested that prey choice involved comparative decisions based on prey size. These findings indicate that, while classified as dietary generalists, silver perch exhibit consumption patterns which at the individual level are highly specialised at any given time. These patterns can be predicted, given information on prey densities in the environment.     

The forgotten feeding ground: patterns in seasonal and depth-specific food intake of adult cod Gadus morhua in the western Baltic Sea

This study presents the diet composition of western Baltic cod Gadus morhua based on 3150 stomachs sampled year-round between 2016 and 2017 using angling, gillnetting and bottom trawling, which enhanced the spatio-temporal coverage of cod habitats. Cod diet composition in shallow areas (<20 m depth) was dominated by benthic invertebrate species, mainly the common shore crab Carcinus maneas. Compared to historic diet data from the 1960s and 1980s (limited to depth >20 m), the contribution of herring Clupea harengus decreased and round goby Neogobius melanostomus occurred as a new prey species. Statistical modelling revealed significant relationships between diet composition, catch depth, fish length and season. Generalized additive modelling identified a negative relationship between catch depth and stomach content weight, suggesting reduced food intake in winter when cod use deeper areas for spawning and during peak summer when cod tend to avoid high water temperatures. The results of this study highlight the importance of shallow coastal areas as major feeding habitats of adult cod in the western Baltic Sea, which were previously unknown because samples were restricted to deeper trawlable areas. The results strongly suggest that historic stomach analyses overestimated the role of forage fish and underestimated the role of invertebrate prey. Eventually, this study shows the importance of a comprehensive habitat coverage for unbiased stomach sampling programmes to provide a more reliable estimation of top predator diet, a key information for food web analyses and multispecies models.     

Squid predation by slender sunfish Ranzania laevis (Molidae)

In addition to crustaceans, remains from 17 individual squid were found in the stomach of a 58 cm slender sunfish Ranzania laevis from Australia, adding a new prey item to their little studied diet. Taken together with existing data from the literature, crustaceans appear to be a common prey item, with larger R. laevis (26–65 cm) also taking small fish and squid. Along with new documentation on breaching, the unexpected finding of squid in the stomach confirms that these fish are fast and agile predators.     

DIETS OF FIN, SEI, AND SPERM WHALES IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: AN ANALYSIS OF COMMERCIAL WHALING RECORDS, 1963–1967

Diets of fin ( Balaenoptera physalus ), sei ( Balaenoptera borealis ), and sperm whales ( Physeter macrocephalus ) were estimated from the stomach contents of individuals killed along the British Columbia coast from 1963 to 1967. The dominant prey types of fin whales were euphausiids, with minor contributions from copepods and fish. Sei whale stomachs contained primarily copepods in three years, whereas euphausiids or a variety of fish dominated the diet in the other two years. Sperm whales consumed primarily North Pacific giant squid ( Moroteuthis robusta ), but secondary prey differed between males and females. Female sperm whales frequently consumed ragfish ( Icosteus spp.) and other fish, whereas the male diet also contained rockfish ( Sebastes spp.). The high abundance of euphausiids along the British Columbia coast likely contributed to the presence of a summer resident population of fin whales. The high abundance of large copepods farther north probably influenced the migration of sei whales through the offshore waters of British Columbia. Sperm whale stomach contents differed by sex reflecting location and possibly breeding behaviors.     

The influence of prey abundance on the feeding ecology of two piscivorous species of coral reef fish

Despite the potential importance of predation as a process structuring coral reef fish communities, few studies have examined how the diet of piscivorous fish responds to fluctuations in the abundance of their prey. This study focused on two species of rock-cod, Cephalopholis cyanostigma (Valenciennes, 1828) and Cephalopholis boenak (Bloch, 1790) (Serranidae), and monitored their diet in two different habitats (patch and contiguous reef) at Lizard Island on the northern Great Barrier Reef, Australia, over a 2-year period. The abundance of the rock-cods and the abundance and family composition of their prey were monitored at the same time. Dietary information was largely collected from regurgitated samples, which represented approximately 60% of the prey consumed and were unbiased in composition. A laboratory experiment showed that fish were digested approximately four times faster than crustaceans, leading to gross overestimation of the importance of crustaceans in the diet. When this was taken into account fish were found to make up over 90% of the diet of both species. Prey fish of the family Apogonidae, followed by Pomacentridae and Clupeidae, dominated the diet of both species of rock-cod. The interacting effect of fluctuations in prey abundance and patterns of prey selection caused dietary composition to vary both temporally and spatially. Mid-water schooling prey belonging to the families Clupeidae and to a lesser extent Caesionidae were selected for over other families. In the absence of these types of prey, apogonids were selected for over the more reef-associated pomacentrids. A laboratory experiment supported the hypothesis that such patterns were mainly due to prey behaviour. Feeding rates of both species of rock-cod were much higher in summer than in winter, and in summer they concentrated on small recruit sized fish. However, there was little variation in feeding rates between habitats, despite apparent differences in prey abundance. In summary, our observations of how the feeding ecology of predatory fish responded to variation in prey abundance provide potential mechanisms for how predation may affect the community structure of coral reef fishes.     

Diet composition of bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) caught on aggregated schools in the western equatorial Atlantic Ocean

The present study aims to characterize and compare the diet of bigeye and yellowfin tunas caught on aggregated schools in the western equatorial Atlantic Ocean. The samples were collected from January 2011 to June 2016. The tunas were measured on board and the stomachs were removed after evisceration. The stomachs were analyzed regarding their Index of Fullness and the importance of each prey in the diet was estimated by the Index of Relative Importance (IRI). The diet overlap was assessed by the Morisita‐Horn's Index, Non‐Metric Multidimensional Scale (NMDS), and Analysis of Similarity (ANOSIM). The feeding strategy was determined by the Costello's Diagram. The 195 bigeye and 212 yellowfin tunas ranged in fork length from 51 to 137 cm and 43 to 174 cm, respectively. The diet of bigeye tuna was composed of 10 families of fish, three cephalopod families, and four crustacean orders. The diet of yellowfin tuna was composed of 11 families of fish, three cephalopod families, and three crustacean orders. The yellowfin tuna seems to feed upon more abundant prey species near the surface like flying fish, which have the concentration enhanced by the light attractors on the boat, and occasionally on other prey from deeper habitats like lanternfish, squids, and pomfret. Bigeye tuna feed mainly at prey that commonly occurs in deeper habitats like squids, drift fish, lanternfish, and pomfret.     

高营养级捕食者在浅水湖泊沿岸带与敞水区能量耦合的维持作用

研究利用保安湖沿岸带与敞水区两种生境中高营养级捕食者(达氏鲌与红鳍原鲌)的碳(δ13C)、氮(δ15N)稳定同位素数据,通过稳定同位素质量平衡混合模型、非度量多维尺度分析(NMDS)等方法,分析了两种生境中鲌类食物来源的差异.结果表明,两种生境中鲌类食物来源基本一致,且食物来源较为广泛,包括沿岸带饵料鱼类、敞水区饵料鱼...     

Interaction between coastal and oceanic ecosystems of the Western and Central Pacific Ocean through predator-prey relationship studies

The Western and Central Pacific Ocean sustains the highest tuna production in the world. This province is also characterized by many islands and a complex bathymetry that induces specific current circulation patterns with the potential to create a high degree of interaction between coastal and oceanic ecosystems. Based on a large dataset of oceanic predator stomach contents, our study used generalized linear models to explore the coastal-oceanic system interaction by analyzing predator-prey relationship. We show that reef organisms are a frequent prey of oceanic predators. Predator species such as albacore (Thunnus alalunga) and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) frequently consume reef prey with higher probability of consumption closer to land and in the western part of the Pacific Ocean. For surface-caught-predators consuming reef prey, this prey type represents about one third of the diet of predators smaller than 50 cm. The proportion decreases with increasing fish size. For predators caught at depth and consuming reef prey, the proportion varies with predator species but generally represents less than 10%. The annual consumption of reef prey by the yellowfin tuna population was estimated at 0.8 ± 0.40 CV million tonnes or 2.17 × 10(12)± 0.40 CV individuals. This represents 6.1% ± 0.17 CV in weight of their diet. Our analyses identify some of the patterns of coastal-oceanic ecosystem interactions at a large scale and provides an estimate of annual consumption of reef prey by oceanic predators.     

VARIABILITY IN THE DIET OF HARBOR PORPOISES (PHOCOENA PHOCOENA) IN SCOTTISH WATERS 1992–2003

Interannual, seasonal, and regional variation in the diet of porpoises, Phocoena phocoena , in Scottish (UK) waters was studied using stomach contents of animals stranded between 1992 and 2003. Most samples came from the east coast (including many porpoises killed by bottlenose dolphins), with smaller numbers from the west coast and from Shetland. The most important prey types, in terms of contribution by number and mass, were whiting ( Merlangius merlangus ) and sand eels (Ammodytidae). Multivariate analysis confirmed the existence of regional, seasonal, and interannual variation in diet, as well as differences ( i. e. , biases) related to cause of death. These differences were further explored using univariate analyses. Sand eels were more important in the summer months (quarters 2 and 3) and on the east coast, whereas gadids were more important in winter and in the Shetland area. Some, but not all, observed trends in the numerical importance and size of prey taken were consistent with trends in abundance and size of fish taken during research trawl surveys. There was some evidence that porpoises <1 yr old took more gobies (Gobiidae) and shrimps than did older porpoises. Clupeids (herring Clupea harengus and sprat Sprattus sprattus ) formed a relatively small proportion of the diet, but their importance varied from year to year. Although possible methodological biases prevent firm conclusions, it appears that the importance of clupeids in porpoise diet may have decreased since the 1960s, mirroring the decline in North Sea herring abundance. The recovery of the North Sea herring stock in recent years is not as yet reflected in porpoise diet.     

Body size, sex ratio and diet composition of Arctogadus glacialis (Peters, 1874) (Pisces: Gadidae) in the Northeast Water Polynya (Greenland)

Little is known about the biology and feeding ecology of Arctogadus glacialis (Peters, 1874), an endemic gadid fish species occurring circumpolarly in both ice-free and ice-covered Arctic seas. In this study we analysed specimens sampled from bottom trawl and Agassiz trawl catches conducted at eight stations in water depths from 115 to 490 m in the Northeast Water Polynya off Greenland in August 1990. Size composition and sex ratios were assessed for 585 fish with standard lengths ranging from 7.8 to 34.5 cm. Median fish sizes at the stations ranged between 8.6 and 18.8 cm. Quantitative stomach content analyses of a subsample of 175 specimens revealed that in the Northeast Water A. glacialis fed almost exclusively on pelagic prey. Truly benthic organisms were not found in the stomachs, and sympagic species were rarely recorded. Overall, calanoid copepods were the major prey in terms of numbers. However, stomach contents varied considerably between fish size groups. In terms of prey biomass, copepods dominated the diet of small fish (<12 cm), primarily occurring at shallow stations (115–250 m), whereas amphipods and mysids were relatively more important for larger fish (>16 cm), which dominated the catches at deep stations (360–480 m). The broad variety of diet composition indicated an opportunistic pelagic feeding pattern. Received: 6 November 1997 / Accepted: 11 May 1998     

Meiofauna as food source for small-sized demersal fish in the southern North Sea

Meiofauna play an essential role in the diet of small and juvenile fish. However, it is less well documented which meiofaunal prey groups in the sediment are eaten by fish. Trophic relationships between five demersal fish species (solenette, goby, scaldfish, dab <20 cm and plaice <20 cm) and meiofaunal prey were investigated by means of comparing sediment samples and fish stomach contents collected seasonally between January 2009 and January 2010 in the German Bight. In all seasons, meiofauna in the sediment was numerically dominated by nematodes, whereas harpacticoids dominated in terms of occurrence and biomass. Between autumn and spring, the harpacticoid community was characterized by Pseudobradya minor and Halectinosoma canaliculatum, and in summer by Longipedia coronata. Meiofaunal prey dominated the diets of solenette and gobies in all seasons, occurred only seasonally in the diet of scaldfish and dab, and was completely absent in the diet of plaice. For all fish species (excluding plaice) and in each season, harpacticoids were the most important meiofauna prey group in terms of occurrence, abundance and biomass. High values of Ivlev’s index of selectivity for Pseudobradya spp. in winter and Longipedia spp. in summer provided evidence that predation on harpacticoids was species-selective, even though both harpacticoids co-occurred in high densities in the sediments. Most surficial feeding strategies of the studied fish species and emergent behaviours of Pseudobradya spp. and Longipedia spp. might have caused this prey selection. With increasing fish sizes, harpacticoid prey densities decreased in the fish stomachs, indicating a diet change towards larger benthic prey during the ontogeny of all fish species investigated.     

Individual variation in feeding habitat use by adult female green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas): are they obligately neritic herbivores?

Satellite telemetry and stable isotope analysis were used to confirm that oceanic areas (where water depths are >200 m) are alternative feeding habitats for adult female green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), which have been thought to be obligate herbivores in neritic areas (where depths are <200 m). Four females were tagged with satellite transmitters and tracked during post-nesting periods from Ogasawara Islands, Japan. Three females migrated to neritic habitats, while transmissions from another female ceased in an oceanic habitat. The overall mean nighttime dive depths during oceanic swimming periods in two females were <20 m, implying that the main function of their nighttime dives were resting with neutral buoyancy, whereas the means in two other females were >20 m, implying that they not only rested, but also foraged on macroplankton that exhibit diel vertical migration. Comparisons of stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios between 89 females and the prey items in a three-source mixing model estimated that 69% of the females nesting on Ogasawara Islands mainly used neritic habitats and 31% mainly used oceanic habitats. Out of four females tracked by satellite, two females were inferred from isotope ratios to be neritic herbivores and the two others oceanic planktivores. Although post-nesting movements for four females were not completely consistent with the inferences from isotope ratios, possibly due to short tracking periods (28–42 days), their diving behaviors were consistent with the inferences. There were no relationships between body size and the two isotope ratios, indicating a lack of size-related differences in feeding habitat use by adult female green turtles, which was in contrast with loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta). These results and previous findings suggest that ontogenetic habitat shifts by sea turtles are facultative, and consequently, their life histories are polymorphic.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

Feeding habits of the exotic black bullhead Ameiurus melas (Rafinesque) in the Iberian Peninsula: first evidence of direct predation on native fish species

The feeding ecology of the exotic invasive black bullhead Ameiurus melas was conducted in the Iberian Peninsula for the first time. Dietary analysis based on the stomach contents of individuals caught in several Iberian basins was carried out as a first step to evaluate its potential threat for the native Iberian ichthyofauna. Aquatic macroinvertebrates (mainly Chironomidae) dominated the black bullhead's diet in all size-classes and sites, irrespective of natural riverine or artificial lentic habitats. Secondary prey items were responsible for the observed between-sites (microcrustaceans in artificial lentic habitat; oligochaeta and caddisfly larvae in natural riverine habitats) and ontogenetic diet differences (from microcrustaceans to larger prey). These diet variations were also detected in trophic diversity values and feeding strategy plots. Black bullheads consumed plant material, terrestrial prey and co-occurring fish species (native or exotic) and thus they could be considered as generalist or opportunistic, foraging on the most abundant and available prey. There was no positive relationship between black bullhead size (total length) and fish prey size, probably indicating piscivory on dead or dying vulnerable fishes as well as predation on smaller-sized active fishes. The results showed that the black bullhead could negatively affect native Iberian ichthyofauna throughout direct predation and competition. Aspects of potential conservation and management implications of fishes resulting from the undesirable presence of the black bullhead in Iberian water bodies are discussed.