Trophic ecology of hairy conger Bassanago albescens in the Southwest Atlantic and its implications for the ecosystem-based fishery management

BLASINA G.E.; IZZO L.; DE WYSIECKI A; FIGUEROA D.

Marine and Fishery Sciences

Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero - INIDEP

Año: 2021 vol. 32 p. 181 - 195

2683-7595

This study aimed to determine the diet composition and feeding strategies of the hairy conger, Bassanago albescens, in the Southwest Atlantic (35° S-45°S), from stomach contents analysis of 222 specimens. The diet consisted mainly of cephalopods, followed by isopods, amphipods, ophiuroids, brachyurous and polychaetes. Results showed significant differences in the compositionof the diet between sexes, regions and size classes that were reflected in the changes in the foraging strategy. The consumption of squid Illex argentinus progressively increased with a growingpredator size, where the largest individuals showed specialization in the consumption of this particular prey. We propose these dietary changes would be related to morphological limitations and abilities associated with the body size of B. albescens, with larger individuals having access to larger prey. Our results help to understand the biology of a species that has a sympatric distribution with two key species in the Argentinian fisheries: hake Merluccius hubbsi and I. argentinus, with evidence of a strong trophic interaction between them. This new information on the resources involved would allow an optimization of the fisheries management under an ecosystem-based criterion.