California content of squid (Mollusca: Cephalopoda)

• Main Authors: Croxall, J. P., Prince, P. A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: British Antarctic Survey 1982
• Subjects: Antarctic; Southern Ocean; Antarc*; Antarctic Squid
• Online Access: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/33758/; https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/33758/8/218.pdf

Published information appears to be lacking on the chemical composition and calorific content of Southern Ocean squid, which are important prey of sperm whales and many seabirds. Data for 17 species of squid (all but one from the Northern Hemisphere) are reviewed. lt is concluded that they have calorific contents distinctly lower than those of Antarctic fish and krill, mainly because of lower Iipid content. Because of the importance of such information to studies of energy transfer between trophic Ievels, it is recommended that data on the chemical composition and calorific content of Antarctic squid should be rapidly obtained.