Diet of the Antarctic starry skate Amblyraja georgiana (Rajidae, Chondrichthyes) at South Georgia (Southern Ocean)

• Published in: Polar Biology
• Main Authors: Main, Charlotte E., Collins, Martin A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Antarctic; Southern Ocean; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctic Krill; Euphausia superba; Polar Biology
• Online Access: https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/179727/

Stomach contents were identified from 206 Antarctic starry skate (Amblyraja georgiana) that were collected during three groundfish surveys (September 2007, April 2008 and January 2009) at South Georgia, Southern Ocean. The diet of A. georgiana varied with skate size and between years. Preferred prey included fish (particularly for larger individuals) and Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba, as well as amphipods, polychaetes and other benthic fauna. The skate A. georgiana appears to be an opportunistic predator, and the clear presence of Antarctic krill in this demersal predator’s diet may indicate a benthic habit of this euphausiid species, which has hitherto mainly been considered as occupying a purely pelagic niche.