Inter-annual variation in the autumn diet of the Gentoo Penguin at Laurie Island, Antarctica

CORIA N.; LIBERTELLI M.; CASAUX R.; DARRIEU C.

WATERBIRDS (DE LEON SPRINGS, FLA.)

WATERBIRD SOC

Año: 2000 vol. 23 p. 511 - 517

1524-4695

The diet of adult Gentoo penguin was investigated during the autumns of 1993-1996 on Laurie Island, South Orkney Islands, Antarctica. Fishes were the most important prey by mass in 1995 (81.1%) and 1996 (60.5%) while crustaceans redominated in 1993 (70% by mass). Among fishes, speceis of the family Nototheniidae predominated in the diet with G. gibberifrons the most important prey by mass in 1993 and 1995 and N. nybelini in 1996. Other nototheniid fish such as L. nudifrons and T. newnesi were also well represented in the three sampling periods. Krill was largely the most important prey among the eleven crustaceans taxa identified in the samples. A total of1,628 squid lower beaks was found, 97% identified as Psychroteuthis glacialis. Diet composition in terms of frequency of occurrence, mass and number is compared with previous studies.