The diet of toothfish species Dissostichus eleginoides and Dissostichus mawsoni with overlapping distributions

The diets of Antarctic toothfish Dissostichus mawsoni and Patagonian toothfish Dissostichus eleginoides were examined around the South Sandwich Islands in the Southern Ocean, one of few regions with overlapping populations of the two species. Despite large differences in the proportion of stomachs containing prey (76·2% of D. mawsoni compared to 7·2% of D. eleginoides), diet composition was broadly similar (Schoener overlap index of 74·4% based on prey mass) with finfishes (particularly macrourids and muraenolepidids) and cephalopods (mainly Kondakovia longimana) comprising >90% of the prey mass of both species. Predation rates of the main fish prey, as mean counts per stomach sampled, were spatially correlated with their relative abundance around the islands derived from fishery by-catch data, suggesting a general lack of prey selectivity. This study supports the view that bathyal Dissostichus are opportunistic carnivores and finds that D. mawsoni and D. eleginoides occupy a similar trophic niche and are likely to compete for prey in regions where both are distributed. The large increase in rate of prey occurrence and size of prey in D. mawsoni stomachs relative to D. eleginoides suggests, however, species differences in feeding behaviour, which may reflect the increased metabolic demands of a cold-water adapted physiology. [Correction added after online publication 13 June 2011: spelling of species name corrected].     

Feeding patterns of the dominant benthic and demersal fish community in a temperate estuary

The diet and feeding relationships of the 12 most abundant benthic and demersal fish species of the Mondego Estuary, Portugal, were studied between June 2003 and May 2006. Fishes were caught during the night using a 2 m beam trawl. The stomach contents were analysed for prey identification, counting and weighing. According to prey importance in diets, three main feeding guilds were identified: (1) invertebrate feeders, (2) invertebrate and fish feeders and (3) plankton and invertebrate feeders. Besides these main feeding guilds, some fishes also presented fractions of algae and zooplankton in their stomach contents. The most abundant prey items were macroinvertebrates, with several polychaetes ( Nephtys spp., Capitellidae, Spionidae and Eunicidae), Corophium spp. and Crangon crangon among the dominant prey. Pomatoschistus spp. were the most preyed on fishes. Several fish species showed a tendency for a specialized diet, but almost all also showed some degree of opportunistic feeding by preying on other food resources. High diet overlap was found between some fish species, yet exploitative competition could not be concluded.     

Feeding habits of the fishes Lutjanus peru and Lutjanus guttatus (Pisces: Lutjanidae) of Guerrero, México

Diet composition of the Pacific snapper (Lutjanus peru) 130-684 mm fork length (FL) and the spotted snapper (Lugjanus guttatus) 120-550 mm FL, was analyzed. Monthly samples were obtained from commercial landings in three regions off the coast of Guerrero, Mexico. Percentage by number (%N), percentage by weight (%W), and percentage of occurrence (%O) were calculated for each prey and summarized as the index of relative importance. Both species are polyphagous predators feeding on a variety of prey: Sixty-eight prey items, mainly fish (%W = 50.9), crustaceans (%W = 35.6), and mollusks (%W = 7.2), were found in the stomach contents of L. peru, while 88 components were identified in the diet of L. guttatus, the most important prey being fish (%W = 50.8) and crustaceans (%W = 43.4). Diet overlap between species is not significant (p<0.05), indicating that competition for food is unlikely. Based on published values of the relative importance index, the diets of these Lutjanidae were analyzed considering different regions of the Pacific coast of Mexico and Costa Rica, and similarities among sites and species were discussed. The cluster analysis showed that similarities among species inhabiting in the same area are more important than within organisms of the same species living in different zones. Results suggest that prey availability rather than food selectivity, conditions the feeding behavior of these fish species.     

The primary carbon sources utilised by fishes in the Mngazi and Mngazana estuaries,South Africa: a preliminary assessment

A number of studies have used stable carbon isotopes to analyse aspects of the food web structure in South African estuaries but none has compared mangrove and non-mangrove estuarine food webs. This study compares the primary carbon sources utilised by the ichthyofauna in the Mngazana (with extensive mangroves) and Mngazi (without mangroves) estuaries. In contrast to the Kariega Estuary, where past research identified two basic carbon pathways, there were no clear carbon pathways within the Mngazi and Mngazana fish assemblages. Instead, the carbon isotopic values of fishes in both estuaries displayed a continuum rather than a tight clustering around particular energy sources. Most detritus feeders of the family Mugilidae from both estuaries were relatively more enriched (with carbon isotopic values ranging from ?16.9% to ?12.3%) than other fish taxa. The isotopic values of the mullet species suggest a diet derived from relatively enriched carbon sources such as benthic microalgae, the eelgrass Zostera and associated epiphytes. Based on the isotopic values, piscivorous fishes from both estuaries could not be linked to specific prey fish taxa, but clearly the mullet species were not their main food source. The invertebrate feeders that were common to both estuaries showed greater isotopic variations in the Mngazana Estuary (?24.7% to ?19.3%) than in the Mngazi Estuary (?21.9% to ?18.4%), probably reflecting the higher diversity of habitats and invertebrate prey items in the Mngazana system. Generally, the isotopic signatures of fishes from the Mngazi Estuary were more enriched than those from the Mngazana Estuary, thus indicating the possible effect of δ¹³C-depleted mangrove-derived carbon in the latter system.     

The foraging ecology of two pairs of congeneric demersal fish species: importance of morphological characteristics in prey selection

The feeding habits of two sympatric species pairs of demersal fish ( Mullus barbatus-Mullus surmuletus, Serranus cabrilla-Serranus hepatus ) which occupy the shallow coastal area (25–30 m) in Iraklion Bay were investigated from samples collected on a monthly basis (August 1990 to August 1992). Stomach content analyses revealed that all of them were carnivores, feeding mainly on benthic invertebrates, and that each species consumed a narrow range of prey species with no significant dietary overlap. The morphology of their feeding apparatus was compared to examine the effect of any morphological differences on food selection and resource partitioning between the fish species. The species could be distinguished on the basis of the size of their mouth gape, the number of gill rakers and the length of their intestine. This study shows that each species pair follows a different strategy segregating along food niche dimensions. In particular, M. barbatus and M. surmuletus segregate their feeding niche consuming different prey taxa with similar sizes whereas S. cabrilla and S. hepatus differ considerably with respect to the degree to which prey species contribute to their diets coupled with differences in mean prey sizes.     

Growth and feeding ecology of juvenile Chinese sturgeon,Acipenser sinensis,in the Yangtze Estuary

The present study was conducted to assess growth and the feeding ecology with prey preferences of juvenile Acipenser sinensis individuals in the Yangtze Estuary from May to August, 2015. From May to August, juveniles grew from 11.65 ± 2.10 cm (10.82 ± 6.32 g) to 27.78 ± 3.36 cm (158.08 ± 60.50 g), and the length‐weight relationship (b = 3.1124) indicated isometric growth. The stomach content analysis indicated the following order of dominance of prey groups: fish, crab, amphipoda, polychaeta, shrimp and other small benthic invertebrates. The main diet taxon has not changed dramatically compared with samples in 2004. Moreover, this study confirmed that changes occurred in the prey composition, which was different with the growth of length size in the Yangtze Estuary. Therefore maintaining species richness in the Yangtze Estuary and ensuring sufficient food source is crucial to species conservation of A. sinensis.     

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.     

Experimental study on the effect of diet on fatty acid and stable isotope profiles of the squid Lolliguncula brevis

Fatty acid and stable isotope analyses have previously been used to investigate foraging patterns of fish, birds, marine mammals and most recently cephalopod species. To evaluate the application of these methods for dietary studies in squid, it is important to understand the degree to which fatty acid and stable isotope signatures of prey species are reflected in the squids' tissue. Four groups of Lolliguncula brevis were fed on prey species with distinctly different fatty acid and stable isotope profiles over 30 consecutive days. One group of squid were fed fish for fifteen days, followed by crustaceans for a further fifteen days. A second and third group were fed exclusively on fish or crustaceans for thirty days. And a fourth group was fed on a mixture of fish and crustaceans for thirty days. Analysis of squid tissue showed that, after 10 days of feeding, fatty acid profiles of squid tended to reflect those of their prey. Squid that fed on a single prey type, i.e. fish or crustacean, showed only minor modifications in fatty acid proportions after the initial change and fatty acid profiles were clearly distinguishable between the two feeding groups. Shifts in fatty acid proportions towards respective prey profiles could clearly be observed in squid the diet of which was swapped after 15 days. Clear differences could also be seen in fatty acid profiles of squid feeding on a mixed diet with trends towards either fish or crustacean fatty acid signatures. Stable isotope signatures of squid tissues clearly distinguished between animals feeding on different diets and supported findings from fatty acid analysis, thus indicating both methods to be viable tools in feeding studies on squid species.     

长江口棘头梅童鱼食物组成和摄食习性的季节变

棘头梅童鱼是长江口水域的常见小型经济鱼类,具有一定的捕捞价值.为了解长江口棘头梅童鱼食物组成和摄食习性的季节变化,本研究利用胃含物分析法对2013年11月—2014年8月在长江口水域捕获的棘头梅童鱼样本进行了分析.结果表明：长江口棘头梅童鱼全年摄食的饵料生物有8目30种,其中虾类(游泳亚目)是主要饵料生物,相对重要性指数百分比(IRI%)为38.5,优势指数(Ip)为79.1;其次为糠虾目和磷虾目.全年饵料生物中的主要优势种类为葛氏长臂虾、安氏白虾、脊尾白虾、长额刺糠虾、短额刺糠虾、光背节鞭水虱和中华哲水蚤等.饵料生物优势种存在季节差异,春季和夏季的主要优势种均为葛氏长臂虾、安氏白虾和短额刺糠虾,秋季主要优势种为长额刺糠虾、短额刺糠虾和脊尾白虾,冬季主要优势种为葛氏长臂虾、中华哲水蚤和中华假磷虾.长江口棘头梅童鱼全年空胃率为10.4%,冬季最高,秋季最低;全年平均胃饱满系数为0.6%,冬季最低,春季最高,摄食习性存在季节变化.     

Feeding habits and diet overlap of marine fish larvae from the peri-Antarctic Magellan region

The Magellan region is a unique peri-Antarctic ecosystem due to its geographical position. However, the knowledge about the distribution and feeding ecology of fish larvae is scarce. Since this area is characterized by low phytoplankton biomass, we hypothesize that marine fish larvae display different foraging tactics in order to reduce diet overlap. During austral spring 2009–2010, two oceanographic cruises were carried out along southern Patagonia (50–56°S). Larval fish distribution and feeding of the two most widely distributed species were studied, the smelt Bathylagichthys parini (Bathylagidae) and black southern cod Patagonotothen tessellata (Nototheniidae). Larvae of B. parini showed a lower increase in the mouth gape at size, primarily feeding during daytime (higher feeding incidence during the day) mostly on nonmotile prey (invertebrate and copepod eggs, appendicularian fecal pellets, diatoms). They showed no increase in feeding success (number, total volume of prey per gut and prey width) with increasing larval size, and the niche breadth was independent of larval size. Larvae of P. tessellata showed a large mouth gape at size, which may partially explain the predation on motile prey like large calanoid copepods (C. simillimus) and copepodites. They are nocturnal feeders (higher feeding incidence during night) and are exclusively carnivorous, feeding on larger prey as the larvae grow. Nonetheless, niche breadth was independent of larval size. Diet overlap was important only in individuals with smaller mouth gape (<890 μm) and diminished as larvae (and correspondingly their jaw) grow. In conclusion, in the peri-Antarctic Magellan region, fish larvae of two species display different foraging tactics, reducing their trophic overlap throughout their development.     

长江口中国花鲈食性分析

中国花鲈(Lateolabrax maculatus)是长江口重要的经济鱼类之一。根据2010年7月至10月在长江口崇明东滩团结沙和东旺沙水域采集到的胃含物样品,对中国花鲈的摄食习性进行了研究。结果表明,从中国花鲈胃含物中共鉴定出6类27种饵料生物,其多样性指数H’值为2.484,均匀度指数J’为0.7535,优势指数D为0.1262。采用百分比相对重要性指数(IRI%)和综合指标优势指数(Ip)分析的结果较一致,鱼类是长江口中国花鲈夏季主要食物,其百分比相对重要性指数(IRI%)和综合指标优势指数(Ip)分别为82.63%和94.48,鮻(Liza haematocheila)为优势饵料生物(IRI%=41.89,Ip=53.20)。团结沙和东旺沙中国花鲈食性差异较大,主成分分析(PCA)表明鲚属(Coilia spp.)、舌虾虎鱼(Glossogobius giuris)、脊尾白虾(Exopalaemoncarinicauda)和雷伊著名团水虱(Gnorimosphaeroma rayi)是造成这种差异的主要饵料生物种类。     

Hunger-induced foraging behavior of two cyprinid fish: Pseudorasbora parva and Rasbora daniconius

The feeding and swimming behaviors of Pseudorasbora parva and Rasbora daniconius (Cyprinidae) with two different prey types (Daphnia pulex and Artemia salina) at different densities (0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, or 25 per l) were studied after 36 h of food deprivation. Full satiation was defined as the cumulative number of attacks performed until fish attain a constant attack rate which for P. parva was 425 and R. daniconius was 390 attacks. Initial feeding rates showed marked variation with prey availability. Feeding rates of fish in high prey concentrations were higher at the beginning of the experiment and decreased faster than in low prey densities. Decreases in the feeding rate at high prey densities were due to faster attainment of satiation. Feeding rates of fish across high prey densities reached a steady level after satiation. Swimming speeds of fish were inversely proportional to prey density. Moreover, the change in swimming speeds was directly related to the level of satiation. The ratios of the attack rate and the encounter rate against prey density of both fish reveal that the search for prey triggered swimming and thereby feeding during the transition from hungry to satiation. The findings of this study demonstrate that satiation plays an important role in fish foraging that should be considered a significant factor in foraging analysis.     

Food and feeding habits of pearly razorfish, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xyrichtys novacula </Emphasis>(Linnaeus, 1758), in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea: variation by sex and size

We collected pearly razorfish, Xyrichtys novacula (Labridae), from a sandy bottom of Capo dOrlando (Tyrrhenian Sea) to study their feeding habits. We caught fish by hand-lines and seine nets and identified, counted and weighed food items in their stomachs. We evaluated the importance of the different prey types by calculating the frequency of occurrence, abundance and mass. We used these values to calculate the index of relative importance (IRI) for each taxonomic category and a modified index (MI) which did not incorporate %N into the formula. Gammarideans were dominant food items in terms of %F but showed a very low MI value; the bivalve Acanthocardia tubercolata was the dominant species in terms of %W and MI value. The prey items were mostly benthic organisms belonging to the assemblage of fine, well-sorted sands showing that X. novacula is a benthic feeder. Despite the large number of prey taxa found, few species accounted for most of the prey consumed, indicating specialist feeding, as confirmed by the low value of the Levins standardised index. We found significant differences in prey distribution among size classes, with the highest prey diversity recorded in 120–140 mm TL size classes. Correspondence analysis showed a trend of increasing predator size classes among prey items, with small prey, such as copepods and amphipods, in the smallest predator size classes and bigger prey in the larger ones. Prey caught by larger predators differed significantly in weight from those taken by smaller specimens. There was a significant positive correlation of fish length with bivalves, decapods and echinoids, and a negative one with copepods, ostracods, caprellids, gammarideans. There were no significant differences between males and females of overlapping sizes. Juveniles are able to exploit only small, vulnerable prey, while adults take few, large prey, thereby avoiding competition with juveniles.     

Opportunistic foraging by three species of cormorants in an Australian estuary

Aspects of the feeding biology of three species of cormorant ( Phalacrocorax melanoleucos , P. sulcirostris and P. varius ) were investigated in the large Peel-Harvey Estuary in south-western Australia in April and October 1986 and January 1987. The duration of dives by each species increased with depth and at each depth was greater in P. varius than in the two smaller species. Differences in the ranges of depths in which the similarly sized P. melanoleucos and P. sulcirostris fed would have reduced any potential interspecific competition for feeding space and food. The dive-rest ratio was similar (2.6–2.8) in all three species. Comparisons between the diet of each cormorant species and the potential prey where foraging occurred demonstrated that all three cormorant species were opportunistic feeders, ingesting predominantly small, slow-swimming, benthic-feeding fish and crustaceans. The small size of the prey was limited by the small dimensions of the gullet. There was no evidence that any of the three cormorant species were likely to exert a pronounced adverse effect on the abundance of the major commercial fish in the estuary or on the food of these teleosts.     

Diet composition of bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus L. 1758) in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea,Turkey

This study gives relevant information on the diet composition of the bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) during the spawning period in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The stomach contents of 218 bluefin tuna were sampled from 2003 to 2006 during the fishing season (May–June) aboard purse seiners operating in the northern Levantine Sea off the coast of Turkey. Stomachs were removed from the fish soon after landing and kept frozen at ?18°C until analysis. Prey items were classified into large taxonomic categories and preserved in 70% ethanol. A total of 745 different prey specimens belonging to 47 taxa were identified, including 34 species of fish, 11 of squid, and two of crustaceans. The most important fish and cephalopod prey belonged to the families Myctophidae, Carangidae, Chauliodontidae, Paralepididae, and Octopoda. This study marks the observation of myctophid fish in the stomach contents of bluefin tuna from the Mediterranean Sea. The paper offers some new information of regional importance and compares the feeding habits of the species to other regions, bringing confirmation on the opportunistic feeding ecology of the species in the enclosed Mediterranean Sea, where bluefin tuna seasonally occur as a strong cohort. New information on the diet composition of T. thynnus in the eastern Mediterranean Sea is revealed; the findings indicate that, depending on the abundance of the different prey species in the habitat, the dominant prey species can be distinctive.     

Construction and evaluation of a robust trophic network model for the northern Gulf of Mexico ecosystem

A critical issue in understanding trophic connectivity in ecological systems is the lack in quality and quantity of information about feeding habits. In this work, we present a method for integrating a diversity of feeding habits data from published studies to evaluate the impact on indices that describe characteristics of individual taxa and their connectivity. We focus our study on feeding habits of the fishes of the northern Gulf of Mexico and seek to understand the importance of the forage fish Gulf Menhaden (Brevoortia patronus) in predator diets. We created a database of diet studies from the northern Gulf of Mexico that included six diet metrics: frequency of occurrence, wet weight, dry weight, number, volume, index of relative importance, and index of caloric importance. We then used this information to construct a set of traditional networks (all prey and predators were from a single taxonomic level and trophic connections were parameterized with a single diet metric). We also constructed a “robust” network where all taxa were identified to the lowest taxonomic level and trophic connections were parameterized using a resampling approach that included all available information. Linear regression and resampling methods were used to convert data reported in other diet metrics into the frequency of occurrence diet metric. For both traditional and robust networks, we used network indices to describe topological properties. With the robust network, we conducted removal simulations where the forage fish species Gulf Menhaden, and associated Clupeidae representatives, were removed from the network and the feeding effort of the predators was reallocated among their other prey items. We found that network and node-specific indices were sensitive to the choice of taxonomy and diet metric level. In the robust network, predator species with the greatest number of identified prey had the lowest precision in their connections and prey from the Arthropoda phyla had the lowest precision for connections. From the removal and reallocation simulations, we found that Actinopterygii and Arthropoda were the most impacted prey taxa with 1.2% to 4.3% increase in predation and approximately 23 taxa would receive 50% of the reallocated predation. Overall, the resampling methods we present provide a potential means for combining disparate diet data and enables a comprehensive understanding of trophic interactions within an ecosystem.     

Winter diet and foraging range of gentoo penguins (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pygoscelis papua</Emphasis>) from Kidney Cove,Falkland Islands

The winter diet and foraging range of gentoo penguins, Pygoscelis papua, were studied at Kidney Cove, Falkland Islands. The mean wet mass of the 56 stomach-content samples collected from May to October was 32.7ᇃ.4 g. The diet consisted generally of cephalopods, crustaceans and fish, as well as two other molluscs. Among the six cephalopod species identified, the commercially fished Patagonian squid, Loligo gahi, had the highest abundance and was also the main prey by reconstituted mass (53% of the total reconstituted mass). Lobster krill, Munida gregaria, one of five species of crustaceans, was the most abundant prey species by frequency of occurrence and by number (68% and 60%, respectively). Rock cod, Patagonotothen ramsayi, accounted for the majority of the fish diet with 34% of the total reconstituted mass. Most prey species identified in the winter diet were also abundant diet components during the breeding season. However, the known biology of the prey species and their rate of digestion indicated that, in winter, adults may forage further offshore than during the breeding season. This assumption was supported by the results obtained from two birds satellite-tracked during the study period. Both birds remained mainly in inshore waters and returned frequently ashore, but one penguin foraged up to 276 km from the coast. The differences in the foraging behaviour of the two birds were reflected in significant differences with regard to time spent underwater, distance travelled per day and calculated travelling speed. Furthermore, the progress of cohorts of L. gahi over the winter is consistent with results from life-cycle studies in this region and suggests that birds have been foraging in the feeding grounds of L. gahi.