Estimación de tasas de predación de Mnemiopsis leidyi (Ctenophora: Lobata) bajo condiciones de laboratorio

SCHIARITI, A.; GIBERTO, D. A.; BIANCA, F.; SUAREZ, J.; BERTELLO, M.; MIANZAN H. W.

REVISTA DE INVESTIGACION Y DESARROLLO PESQUERO

INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE INVESTIGACIÓN Y DESARROLLO PESQUERO

Lugar: Mar del Plata; Año: 2013 vol. 22 p. 5 - 14

0325-6375

We presented the first results in the way to establish a standardized methodology to estimate Mnemiopsis leidyi ingestion rates and its impact on fish recruitment. We first studied if M. leidyi was able to consume lyophilized fish eggs and then estimated the ingestion rates preying on such prey-type, Artemia nauplii and rotifers. Although M. leidyi was capable of ingesting lyophilized eggs, ingestion rates on this prey type were extremely low and often zero. In all cases fish eggs ingestion rates were lower than those estimated using rotifers and artemia. Feeding rates increased with ctenophore size for all prey types. Our results suggest M. leidyi would not affect fish recruitment through eggs consumption. However, there is not a uniform methodology in the literature allowing standardizing comparisons. This highlights the awareness of defining a standard methodology to study feeding of M. leidyi and its potential effects on fish recruitment. Development of a standard prey type allowing comparative studies will represent a step forward in this field. To this, it will be necessary to repeat our experiments utilizing live eggs in addition to preserved ones.