INVESTIGADORES
BERASATEGUI Anabela Anhi
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Trophic spectrum of the southern right whale Eubalaena australis by means of faecal analysis
Autor/es:
MENÉNDEZ, M. C.; BERASATEGUI, A. A; LINDNER, M. S; DIODATO, S.L.; FERNÁNDEZ SEVERINI M. D.; HOFFMEYER M.S.
Lugar:
Buenos Aires . Argentina
Reunión:
Jornada; VIIJornadas Multidisciplianrias de la Sociedad Argentina de Biología; 2006
Institución organizadora:
Sociedad Argentina de Biología - SAB
Resumen:
Eubalaena australis lives in Nuevo Gulf (Chubut) from April to middle of December
after a long migration from its feeding areas at high latitudes. It was thought that E.
australis did not feed at this breeding zone at all. However, trophic behaviours of
whales have been recently observed in both Nuevo and San José Gulfs, especially
during the springtime. Also, faeces of whales have been detected from whalewatching
ships in the northeastern coasts of Nuevo Gulf. Faeces collected in October
2004 were qualitatively analyzed as part of a large project aimed to evaluate the
plankton availability related to whales trophic behaviour. Faeces preserved in alcohol
70% were homogenized and three 5 ml-subsamples were taken to identify the strong
remains of food items. They were treated with glycerine and methyl blue to improve
the viewing of food remains under stereo and optical microscopes. Some of this
material belonged to mandibles and coxae of Calanus australis and/or Calanoides
carinatus, large Calanidae copepods that live in this zone. Pieces of crustacean
segments and antennae were also observed, some of which would probably
correspond to euphausiids. In terms of relative abundance, copepod mandibles were
the most abundant remains (>70%), non identified tegument parts were abundant (30-
70%) whereas copepod coxae and prosomes were scarce (<30%). These findings,
obtained for the first time in Argentina, are a clear evidence of whale-foraging either
in this breeding area or previously into the shelf. The foraging on large copepods
agrees with that reported for the northern right whale Eubalaena glacialis on Calanus
finmarchicus in the North West Atlantic feeding areas.