University of Tasmania
Browse

File(s) under permanent embargo

Diet of demersal sharks and chimaeras inferred by fatty acid profiles and stomach content analysis

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 12:03 authored by Pethybridge, H, Daley, RK, Peter Nichols
Obtaining adequate dietary information for many shark and chimaera species has long been a challenge for ecosystem managers, largely due to logistical difficulties in the collection of large sample sizes required for stomach content analyses. Here, we use multivariate analysis of signature fatty acid (FA) profiles as a complementary method to examine the diet composition of 16 demersal shark and chimaera species, collected off south eastern Australia. Comparative results of FA profiles of potential prey and chondrichthyan species mostly agree with the stomach content data. Multivariate analysis correctly classified chimaeras as prominent low-order and benthic consumers, medium-sized dogfish as predators of mid-trophic fish and squid, catsharks as dominant cephalopod consumers, and larger and deeper dwelling dogfish as feeders of bathypelagic fish, squid and feeding on higher order species (cetaceans and seals). Our results demonstrate that signature FA analysis can be applied in dietary studies of sharks and chimaeras to (1) distinguish interspecific differences in general resource (diet and habitat) use patterns; (2) identify degrees of dietary specialisation; and (3) detect niche partitioning of resources by co-occurring species. The FA profiling approach is particularly valuable where sample numbers are likely to be low, such as for these deep-sea and threatened organisms.

History

Publication title

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology

Volume

409

Issue

1-2

Pagination

290-299

ISSN

0022-0981

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Elsevier Science Bv

Place of publication

PO Box 211, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1000 Ae

Rights statement

Copyright 2011 Elseiver B.V.

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Marine biodiversity

Usage metrics

    University Of Tasmania

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC