The diet of the Weddell seal Leptonychotes weddelli at Harmony Point, South Shetland Islands
A total of 41 faeces and 5 vomits of the Weddell seal Leptonychotes weddelli was collected at Harmony Point, Nelson Island, South Shetland Islands, from 14 January to 1 February 1996. The diet indicated by the remains in the samples was diverse and comprised both pelagic and benthic-demersal species...
| Published in: | Polar Biology |
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| Main Authors: | , , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer
1997
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/51791/ https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/51791/1/Casaux1997_Article_TheDietOfTheWeddellSealLeptony.pdf https://doi.org/10.1007/s003000050202 |
| Summary: | A total of 41 faeces and 5 vomits of the Weddell seal Leptonychotes weddelli was collected at Harmony Point, Nelson Island, South Shetland Islands, from 14 January to 1 February 1996. The diet indicated by the remains in the samples was diverse and comprised both pelagic and benthic-demersal species. Fish were the most frequent (95.7%) and numerous prey (46.2%), but molluscs were the most important by mass (65.8%). Octopods, mainly Pareledone charcoti, constituted the bulk of the diet (63.1% by mass), but the importance of the remaining molluscs was negligible. Otoliths represented 510 fish of which 491 were identified as belonging to 5 species: Gymnoscopelus nicholsi, Electrona antarctica, Lepidonotothen nudifrons, Gobionotothen gibberifrons and Nototheniops nybelini. The myctophid Gymnoscopelus nicholsi was the most important fish prey, and the contribution of benthic-demersal species was low. However, the importance of that fish was over-estimated since 96% of the specimens were obtained from the five vomits analysed. The biases associated with the faecal analysis technique are discussed. |
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