INVESTIGADORES
CASAUX Ricardo Jorge
artículos
Título:
The diet of the Weddell Seal Leptonychotes weddelli at Harmony Point, South Shetland Islands.
Autor/es:
CASAUX R,; BARONI A.; CARLINI A.
Revista:
POLAR BIOLOGY
Editorial:
SPRINGER
Referencias:
Lugar: Berlin; Año: 1997 vol. 18 p. 371 - 375
ISSN:
0722-4060
Resumen:
Abstract
A total of 41 faeces and 5
vomits of the Weddell Seal Leptonychotes
weddelli was collected at Harmony Point, Nelson Island, South Shetland
Islands, from January 14 to February 1 1996. The diet indicated by the remains
in the samples was diverse and comprised of both pelagic and bentho-demersal
species. Fish were the most frequent (95.7%) and numerous prey (46.2%), whereas
molluscs were the most important by mass (65.8%). Octopods, mainly Pareledone charcoti, constituted the
bulk of the diet (63.1% by mass), whereas the importance of the remaining
molluscs was negligible. Otoliths represented 510 fish of which 491 were identified as belonging to 5 species: Gymnoscopelus nicholsi, Electrona
antarctica, Lepidonotothen nudifrons,
Gobionotothen gibberifrons, Nototheniops nybelini. The myctophid G. nicholsi was the most important fish
prey, whereas the contribution of bentho-demersal species was low. However, the importance of that fish
was over-estimated since 96% of the specimens were obtained from
the five vomits analysed. The biases associated with the faecal analysis
technique are discussed.