Squid diet of emperor penguins ( Aptenodytes forsteri ) in the eastern Weddell Sea, Antarctica during late summer
The data presented provides new information on the distribution of Antarctic squids and on the summer diet of the emperor penguins. The diet of 58 adult emperor penguins ( Aptenodytes forsteri ) on the fast ice of the Drescher Inlet, Vestkapp Ice Shelf (72°52′S, 19°25′W) in the eastern Weddell Sea w...
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
1994
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102094000374 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102094000374 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0954102094000374 2024-03-03T08:37:16+00:00 Squid diet of emperor penguins ( Aptenodytes forsteri ) in the eastern Weddell Sea, Antarctica during late summer Piatkowski, Uwe Pütz, Klemens 1994 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102094000374 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102094000374 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Antarctic Science volume 6, issue 2, page 241-247 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 Geology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Oceanography journal-article 1994 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102094000374 2024-02-08T08:28:30Z The data presented provides new information on the distribution of Antarctic squids and on the summer diet of the emperor penguins. The diet of 58 adult emperor penguins ( Aptenodytes forsteri ) on the fast ice of the Drescher Inlet, Vestkapp Ice Shelf (72°52′S, 19°25′W) in the eastern Weddell Sea was investigated. Prey consisted principally of squid, fish, krill, amphipods and isopods. Squids were identified by the lower beaks and allometric equations were used to estimate the squid biomass represented. Beaks occurred in 93% of the stomach samples. Each sample contained a mean of 27 beaks (range 1–206). Ninety-two percent of the squids could be identified by the lower beaks and belonged to four families (Onychoteuthidae, Psychroteuthidae, Neoteuthidae and Gonatidae). The most abundant squid was Psychroteuthis glacialis which occurred in 52 samples with lower rostral lengths (LRL) ranging from 1.4–7.2 mm. Forty-five samples contained Alluroteuthis antarcticus (LRL range 1.8–5.8 mm), 17 Kondakovia longimana (LRL range 4–12.1 mm), and four Gonatus antarcticus (LRL range 4.1–6.1 mm). In terms of biomass K. longimana was the most important species taken by the penguins comprising 50% of total estimated squid wet mass (245348 g) in 1990 and 48% in 1992 (154873 g). However, if only fresh beaks were considered for estimations of squid consumption, i.e. beaks that have been accumulated for not longer than 5–6 days in the stomachs, squid diet was of minor importance. Then total squid wet mass accounted for only 4809 g in 1990 and 5445 g in 1992 which implies that one penguin took c. 30 g squid d −1 with P. glacialis and A. antarcticus being the most important by mass. The prey composition suggests that emperor penguins take squid at the steep slope regions of the eastern Weddell Sea. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Antarctica antarcticus Aptenodytes forsteri Emperor penguins Ice Shelf Weddell Sea Cambridge University Press Antarctic Weddell Sea Weddell Vestkapp ENVELOPE(-19.000,-19.000,-72.750,-72.750) Antarctic Science 6 2 241 247 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
Geology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Oceanography |
spellingShingle |
Geology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Oceanography Piatkowski, Uwe Pütz, Klemens Squid diet of emperor penguins ( Aptenodytes forsteri ) in the eastern Weddell Sea, Antarctica during late summer |
topic_facet |
Geology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Oceanography |
description |
The data presented provides new information on the distribution of Antarctic squids and on the summer diet of the emperor penguins. The diet of 58 adult emperor penguins ( Aptenodytes forsteri ) on the fast ice of the Drescher Inlet, Vestkapp Ice Shelf (72°52′S, 19°25′W) in the eastern Weddell Sea was investigated. Prey consisted principally of squid, fish, krill, amphipods and isopods. Squids were identified by the lower beaks and allometric equations were used to estimate the squid biomass represented. Beaks occurred in 93% of the stomach samples. Each sample contained a mean of 27 beaks (range 1–206). Ninety-two percent of the squids could be identified by the lower beaks and belonged to four families (Onychoteuthidae, Psychroteuthidae, Neoteuthidae and Gonatidae). The most abundant squid was Psychroteuthis glacialis which occurred in 52 samples with lower rostral lengths (LRL) ranging from 1.4–7.2 mm. Forty-five samples contained Alluroteuthis antarcticus (LRL range 1.8–5.8 mm), 17 Kondakovia longimana (LRL range 4–12.1 mm), and four Gonatus antarcticus (LRL range 4.1–6.1 mm). In terms of biomass K. longimana was the most important species taken by the penguins comprising 50% of total estimated squid wet mass (245348 g) in 1990 and 48% in 1992 (154873 g). However, if only fresh beaks were considered for estimations of squid consumption, i.e. beaks that have been accumulated for not longer than 5–6 days in the stomachs, squid diet was of minor importance. Then total squid wet mass accounted for only 4809 g in 1990 and 5445 g in 1992 which implies that one penguin took c. 30 g squid d −1 with P. glacialis and A. antarcticus being the most important by mass. The prey composition suggests that emperor penguins take squid at the steep slope regions of the eastern Weddell Sea. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Piatkowski, Uwe Pütz, Klemens |
author_facet |
Piatkowski, Uwe Pütz, Klemens |
author_sort |
Piatkowski, Uwe |
title |
Squid diet of emperor penguins ( Aptenodytes forsteri ) in the eastern Weddell Sea, Antarctica during late summer |
title_short |
Squid diet of emperor penguins ( Aptenodytes forsteri ) in the eastern Weddell Sea, Antarctica during late summer |
title_full |
Squid diet of emperor penguins ( Aptenodytes forsteri ) in the eastern Weddell Sea, Antarctica during late summer |
title_fullStr |
Squid diet of emperor penguins ( Aptenodytes forsteri ) in the eastern Weddell Sea, Antarctica during late summer |
title_full_unstemmed |
Squid diet of emperor penguins ( Aptenodytes forsteri ) in the eastern Weddell Sea, Antarctica during late summer |
title_sort |
squid diet of emperor penguins ( aptenodytes forsteri ) in the eastern weddell sea, antarctica during late summer |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
1994 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102094000374 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102094000374 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-19.000,-19.000,-72.750,-72.750) |
geographic |
Antarctic Weddell Sea Weddell Vestkapp |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Weddell Sea Weddell Vestkapp |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Antarctica antarcticus Aptenodytes forsteri Emperor penguins Ice Shelf Weddell Sea |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Antarctica antarcticus Aptenodytes forsteri Emperor penguins Ice Shelf Weddell Sea |
op_source |
Antarctic Science volume 6, issue 2, page 241-247 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102094000374 |
container_title |
Antarctic Science |
container_volume |
6 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
241 |
op_container_end_page |
247 |
_version_ |
1792497863417135104 |