Trophic ecology of yellownose skate Zearaja chilensis, a top predator in the south-western Atlantic Ocean
The diet and trophic level (TL) of the yellownose skate Zearaja chilensis in the south-western Atlantic Ocean (35°-54° S), and how these varied in relation to body size, sex, maturity stage, depth and region were determined by analysis of stomach contents. From 776 specimens analysed, 671 (86·5%) ra...
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2016
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| Acceso en línea: | https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_00221112_v88_n3_p1070_Belleggia http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00221112_v88_n3_p1070_Belleggia |
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paper:paper_00221112_v88_n3_p1070_Belleggia2023-06-08T14:45:53Z Trophic ecology of yellownose skate Zearaja chilensis, a top predator in the south-western Atlantic Ocean Dentition Diet Elasmobranchs Trophic level anatomy and histology animal Atlantic Ocean body size diet ecology feeding behavior fish male physiology sex difference skate (fish) statistical model stomach juice tooth Animals Atlantic Ocean Body Size Diet Ecology Feeding Behavior Fishes Gastrointestinal Contents Linear Models Male Sex Factors Skates (Fish) Tooth The diet and trophic level (TL) of the yellownose skate Zearaja chilensis in the south-western Atlantic Ocean (35°-54° S), and how these varied in relation to body size, sex, maturity stage, depth and region were determined by analysis of stomach contents. From 776 specimens analysed, 671 (86·5%) ranging from 180 to 1190 mm total length (LT) had prey in their stomachs. The diet was dominated by fishes, mainly the notothenioid Patagonotothen ramsayi and the Argentine hake Merluccius hubbsi. The consumption of fishes and crabs increased with increasing predator size, and these preys were more important in the north than in the south. Isopods and other crustaceans were consumed more in the south and their consumption decreased as the size of Z. chilensis increased. The TL of Z. chilensis increased with LT from 4·29 to 4·59 (mean 4·53), confirming their ecological role as a top predator. The small and large size classes exhibited a low diet overlap and the highest spatial segregation, whereas medium and large specimens had higher co-occurrence and dietary overlap indices. A clear distinction in tooth shape was noted between sexes in adult specimens, with males having longer cusps. This sexual heterodonty may be related to reproductive behaviour, increasing the grasping ability of males during courtship, because there were no differences in diet between the sexes. © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles. 2016 https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_00221112_v88_n3_p1070_Belleggia http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00221112_v88_n3_p1070_Belleggia |
| institution |
Universidad de Buenos Aires |
| institution_str |
I-28 |
| repository_str |
R-134 |
| collection |
Biblioteca Digital - Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (UBA) |
| topic |
Dentition Diet Elasmobranchs Trophic level anatomy and histology animal Atlantic Ocean body size diet ecology feeding behavior fish male physiology sex difference skate (fish) statistical model stomach juice tooth Animals Atlantic Ocean Body Size Diet Ecology Feeding Behavior Fishes Gastrointestinal Contents Linear Models Male Sex Factors Skates (Fish) Tooth |
| spellingShingle |
Dentition Diet Elasmobranchs Trophic level anatomy and histology animal Atlantic Ocean body size diet ecology feeding behavior fish male physiology sex difference skate (fish) statistical model stomach juice tooth Animals Atlantic Ocean Body Size Diet Ecology Feeding Behavior Fishes Gastrointestinal Contents Linear Models Male Sex Factors Skates (Fish) Tooth Trophic ecology of yellownose skate Zearaja chilensis, a top predator in the south-western Atlantic Ocean |
| topic_facet |
Dentition Diet Elasmobranchs Trophic level anatomy and histology animal Atlantic Ocean body size diet ecology feeding behavior fish male physiology sex difference skate (fish) statistical model stomach juice tooth Animals Atlantic Ocean Body Size Diet Ecology Feeding Behavior Fishes Gastrointestinal Contents Linear Models Male Sex Factors Skates (Fish) Tooth |
| description |
The diet and trophic level (TL) of the yellownose skate Zearaja chilensis in the south-western Atlantic Ocean (35°-54° S), and how these varied in relation to body size, sex, maturity stage, depth and region were determined by analysis of stomach contents. From 776 specimens analysed, 671 (86·5%) ranging from 180 to 1190 mm total length (LT) had prey in their stomachs. The diet was dominated by fishes, mainly the notothenioid Patagonotothen ramsayi and the Argentine hake Merluccius hubbsi. The consumption of fishes and crabs increased with increasing predator size, and these preys were more important in the north than in the south. Isopods and other crustaceans were consumed more in the south and their consumption decreased as the size of Z. chilensis increased. The TL of Z. chilensis increased with LT from 4·29 to 4·59 (mean 4·53), confirming their ecological role as a top predator. The small and large size classes exhibited a low diet overlap and the highest spatial segregation, whereas medium and large specimens had higher co-occurrence and dietary overlap indices. A clear distinction in tooth shape was noted between sexes in adult specimens, with males having longer cusps. This sexual heterodonty may be related to reproductive behaviour, increasing the grasping ability of males during courtship, because there were no differences in diet between the sexes. © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles. |
| title |
Trophic ecology of yellownose skate Zearaja chilensis, a top predator in the south-western Atlantic Ocean |
| title_short |
Trophic ecology of yellownose skate Zearaja chilensis, a top predator in the south-western Atlantic Ocean |
| title_full |
Trophic ecology of yellownose skate Zearaja chilensis, a top predator in the south-western Atlantic Ocean |
| title_fullStr |
Trophic ecology of yellownose skate Zearaja chilensis, a top predator in the south-western Atlantic Ocean |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Trophic ecology of yellownose skate Zearaja chilensis, a top predator in the south-western Atlantic Ocean |
| title_sort |
trophic ecology of yellownose skate zearaja chilensis, a top predator in the south-western atlantic ocean |
| publishDate |
2016 |
| url |
https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_00221112_v88_n3_p1070_Belleggia http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00221112_v88_n3_p1070_Belleggia |
| _version_ |
1768544853999747072 |