Digestibility of krill ( Euphausia superba and Thysanoessa sp.) in minke whales ( Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and crabeater seals ( Lobodon carcinophagus)
Apparent digestible efficiency (% DE) was studied by use of dietary Mn as an inert marker, in minke whales ( Balaenoptera acutorostrata ) and crabeater seals ( Lobodon carcinophagus ) which had been eating krill. Median % DE in minke whales ( n 5) eating krill of the genus Thysanoessa sp. (energy de...
| Published in: | British Journal of Nutrition |
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| Main Authors: | , , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
1994
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/bjn19940073 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0007114594001741 |
| Summary: | Apparent digestible efficiency (% DE) was studied by use of dietary Mn as an inert marker, in minke whales ( Balaenoptera acutorostrata ) and crabeater seals ( Lobodon carcinophagus ) which had been eating krill. Median % DE in minke whales ( n 5) eating krill of the genus Thysanoessa sp. (energy density (ED) 23·8 kJ/g) was 93 (range 87–93). Median % DE in crabeater seals ( n 6) eating krill of the species Euphausia superba (ED 20·8 kJ/g) was 84 (range 79–85), which is significantly lower than the % DE of krill in minke whales ( P = 0·008). Since the chemical composition in E. superba and in Thysanoessa sp. is similar, it is suggested that the complex multi-stomached system of minke whales, which contains both chitinase ( EC 3.2.1.14)-producing as well as several other types of bacteria, is superior to the single-stomached system of crabeater seals with regard to krill digestion. It is worth noting, however, that the % DE of krill in the crabeater seal is still very high. |
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