Relationships between stomach contents and vertical migration in Meganyctiphanes norvegica, Thysanoessa raschii and T. inermis (Crustacea Euphausiacea)

• Published in: Journal of Plankton Research
• Main Author: Sameoto, D.D.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press 1980
• Subjects: Articles; Meganyctiphanes norvegica; Thysanoessa raschii; Copepods
• Online Access: http://plankt.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/2/2/129; https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt/2.2.129

Stomach contents of Thysanoëssa raschii, T. inermis and Meganyctiphanes norvegica collected in the Gulf of St. Lawrence showed the Thysanoëssa species fed primarily during the night in the upper 75 m of water. M. norvegica fed on copepods while at their daytime depth of about 125 m and on phytoplankton and copepods during the night above 75 m depth. M. norvegica fed on a wider range of organisms than the other two species during the three sample periods of spring, fall and early winter. There was no difference in the minimum size of the cells ingested between any of the species. No evidence was found of any of the species feeding on bottom deposits during the sample periods.