Necrophagous lysianassoid Amphipoda in the diet of Antarctic tern at King George Island, Antarctica

• Published in: Antarctic Science
• Main Authors: Jażdżewski, Krzysztof, Konopacka, Alicja
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1999
• Subjects: Geology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Oceanography; Antarctic; King George Island; Antarc*; Antarctic Science; Antarctica; Sterna vittata
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102099000401; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102099000401

Amphipod crustaceans constituted 30% of the food biomass from the stomachs of Antarctic tern ( Sterna vittata ) captured at King George Island in three consecutive seasons. Five species of lysianassoid amphipods occurred in the material: Abyssorchomene plebs, Cheirimedon femoratus, Hippomedon kergueleni, Waldeckia obesa and Orchomenella rotundifrons. All these amphipods are known as necrophages inhabiting the upper and middle sublittoral of western Antarctic. They are commonly caught in masses in baited traps, but never occur in the littoral zone or in tidal pools. It is suggested that the source of the amphipod diet of S. vittata are seal or penguin carcasses and dead fish brought by waves to the tidal zone, serving as a bait for necrophagous amphipod crustaceans when submerged in water before stranding on the beach.