Prey preferences among the community of deep-diving odontocetes from the Bay of Biscay, Northeast Atlantic
International audience Long-finnedpilotwhales(Globicephalamelas),Risso'sdolphins(Grampusgriseus), melon-headedwhales (Peponocephalaelectra),Cuvier'sbeakedwhales(Ziphiuscavirostris), Sowerby'sbeakedwhales(Mesoplodon bidens), northernbottlenosewhales(Hyperoodonampullatus), spermwhales(P...
Published in: | Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , |
Other Authors: | , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
HAL CCSD
2011
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://hal.science/hal-00573185 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2010.12.009 |
Summary: | International audience Long-finnedpilotwhales(Globicephalamelas),Risso'sdolphins(Grampusgriseus), melon-headedwhales (Peponocephalaelectra),Cuvier'sbeakedwhales(Ziphiuscavirostris), Sowerby'sbeakedwhales(Mesoplodon bidens), northernbottlenosewhales(Hyperoodonampullatus), spermwhales(Physetermacrocephalus), dwarf spermwhales(Kogiasima) andpygmyspermwhales(Kogiabreviceps) makeupthelarge communityofdeep-divingodontocetesoccurringofftheBayofBiscay,northeastAtlantic.Theecology of thesetoothedcetaceansispoorlydocumentedworldwide.Thepresentstudydescribedtheirprey preferencesfromstomachcontentanalysisandshowedresourcepartitioningwithintheassemblage. The majorityofthespeciesappearedtobemostlyteutophageous.Fishwasanimportantfoodsource only fortheSowerby'sbeakedwhaleand,toalesserextent,forthelong-finnedpilotwhale.Intermsof foraginghabitatsinferredfrompreycomposition,eitherpelagicoceanicordemersalneritichabitats were exploitedbytoothedwhalesintheBayofBiscay,withonlythelong-finnedpilotwhaleforagingin the twohabitats.Finally,withmorethan14,000identifiedcephalopodsfrom39species,thepresent studyhighlightedalsothepoorlyknowndeep-seacephalopodcommunityofftheBayofBiscayusing top predatorsasbiologicalsamplers. |
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