Summer diet of the narwhal ( Monodon monoceros) in Pond Inlet, northern Baffin Island
Stomach contents of 73 narwhals (Monodon monoceros) taken in Pond Inlet during June to September 1978–1979 were examined. Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) and Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) comprised 51% and 37%, respectively, of the diet by weight. Arctic cod contributed 57% in 1978...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Zoology |
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Canadian Science Publishing
1982
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z82-424 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z82-424 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/z82-424 2024-09-30T14:28:27+00:00 Summer diet of the narwhal ( Monodon monoceros) in Pond Inlet, northern Baffin Island Finley, K. J. Gibb, E. J. 1982 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z82-424 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z82-424 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 60, issue 12, page 3353-3363 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 journal-article 1982 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/z82-424 2024-09-05T04:11:16Z Stomach contents of 73 narwhals (Monodon monoceros) taken in Pond Inlet during June to September 1978–1979 were examined. Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) and Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) comprised 51% and 37%, respectively, of the diet by weight. Arctic cod contributed 57% in 1978 but only 29% in 1979. Squid (Gonatus fabricii) beaks were abundant but not representative of recent intake. Deepwater fish (halibut, redfish (Sebastes marinus), and polar cod (Arctogadus glacialis)), found primarily in male narwhals, indicate a deep diving (>500 m) capability. The largest measured weight of stomach contents was 10.1 kg and weights projected from otoliths did not exceed 19.6 kg. No selection of prey items by size was evident amongst various sex and age groups of narwhals. Feeding was most intensive at the ice edge and ice cracks but little feeding took place in the fiords during late summer. Blubber thickness declined in females but not in males during the summer. The significance of traditional summering areas appears to be related to calving requirements and not to feeding opportunities. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic cod Arctic Arctogadus glacialis Baffin Island Baffin Boreogadus saida Greenland Monodon monoceros narwhal* polar cod Pond Inlet Canadian Science Publishing Arctic Baffin Island Greenland Pond Inlet ENVELOPE(-77.960,-77.960,72.699,72.699) Canadian Journal of Zoology 60 12 3353 3363 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Canadian Science Publishing |
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crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
description |
Stomach contents of 73 narwhals (Monodon monoceros) taken in Pond Inlet during June to September 1978–1979 were examined. Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) and Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) comprised 51% and 37%, respectively, of the diet by weight. Arctic cod contributed 57% in 1978 but only 29% in 1979. Squid (Gonatus fabricii) beaks were abundant but not representative of recent intake. Deepwater fish (halibut, redfish (Sebastes marinus), and polar cod (Arctogadus glacialis)), found primarily in male narwhals, indicate a deep diving (>500 m) capability. The largest measured weight of stomach contents was 10.1 kg and weights projected from otoliths did not exceed 19.6 kg. No selection of prey items by size was evident amongst various sex and age groups of narwhals. Feeding was most intensive at the ice edge and ice cracks but little feeding took place in the fiords during late summer. Blubber thickness declined in females but not in males during the summer. The significance of traditional summering areas appears to be related to calving requirements and not to feeding opportunities. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Finley, K. J. Gibb, E. J. |
spellingShingle |
Finley, K. J. Gibb, E. J. Summer diet of the narwhal ( Monodon monoceros) in Pond Inlet, northern Baffin Island |
author_facet |
Finley, K. J. Gibb, E. J. |
author_sort |
Finley, K. J. |
title |
Summer diet of the narwhal ( Monodon monoceros) in Pond Inlet, northern Baffin Island |
title_short |
Summer diet of the narwhal ( Monodon monoceros) in Pond Inlet, northern Baffin Island |
title_full |
Summer diet of the narwhal ( Monodon monoceros) in Pond Inlet, northern Baffin Island |
title_fullStr |
Summer diet of the narwhal ( Monodon monoceros) in Pond Inlet, northern Baffin Island |
title_full_unstemmed |
Summer diet of the narwhal ( Monodon monoceros) in Pond Inlet, northern Baffin Island |
title_sort |
summer diet of the narwhal ( monodon monoceros) in pond inlet, northern baffin island |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
1982 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z82-424 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z82-424 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-77.960,-77.960,72.699,72.699) |
geographic |
Arctic Baffin Island Greenland Pond Inlet |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Baffin Island Greenland Pond Inlet |
genre |
Arctic cod Arctic Arctogadus glacialis Baffin Island Baffin Boreogadus saida Greenland Monodon monoceros narwhal* polar cod Pond Inlet |
genre_facet |
Arctic cod Arctic Arctogadus glacialis Baffin Island Baffin Boreogadus saida Greenland Monodon monoceros narwhal* polar cod Pond Inlet |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 60, issue 12, page 3353-3363 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/z82-424 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
60 |
container_issue |
12 |
container_start_page |
3353 |
op_container_end_page |
3363 |
_version_ |
1811634126798716928 |