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17 pages, 2664 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Diet and Plastic Ingestion in the Blackmouth Catshark Galeus melastomus, Rafinesque 1810, in Italian Waters

by Giorgia Zicarelli, Chiara Romano, Samira Gallo, Carmen Valentino, Victor Pepe Bellomo, Francesco Luigi Leonetti, Gianni Giglio, Alessandra Neri, Letizia Marsili, Concetta Milazzo, Caterina Faggio, Cecilia Mancusi and Emilio Sperone

Animals 2023, 13(6), 1039; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13061039 - 13 Mar 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2138

Abstract

Galeus melastomus is the most common Pentanchidae in the Mediterranean Sea. A scavenger and opportunistic feeder, and despite the wide distribution, little is known about its feeding habits in Italian waters. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the diet of [...] Read more.

Galeus melastomus is the most common Pentanchidae in the Mediterranean Sea. A scavenger and opportunistic feeder, and despite the wide distribution, little is known about its feeding habits in Italian waters. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the diet of the blackmouth catshark by analysing the stomach contents. The specimens analysed were obtained from five populations of the Tyrrhenian and of the Ionian Seas, collected from a depth between 40 and 700 m. A total of 259 stomachs were analysed. The stomach contents were grouped into macro-categories and identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible. Crustaceans such as Parapenaeus longirostris, the Cephalopods Heteroteuthis dispar and Onychoteuthis banksii, and Osteichthyes, mostly Myctophidae, were identified. Plastic debris was also found among the stomach contents and classified according to its colour and shape. Osteichthyes represent the most abundant item (44%), above all the Myctophidae family, except for the catshark population from Tuscany, in which the most frequent species were Cephalopods, such as Abralia veranyi and Heteroteuthis dispar. Differences in the plastic debris contents were also observed between the Tuscany population and other populations. These could be explained as a probable consequence of the different depths at which the blackmouth catshark populations were sampled. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trophic Web and Predator–Prey Dynamics in Marine Environment)

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34 pages, 5194 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multiple Approaches to the Trophic Role of Mesopelagic Fish around the Iberian Peninsula

by Ainhoa Bernal, Víctor Manuel Tuset and María Pilar Olivar

Animals 2023, 13(5), 886; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13050886 - 28 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1546

Abstract

Myctophids, commonly vertical migrators, and partial and non-migrant stomiiforms constitute most of the mesopelagic biomass, and transport organic matter throughout the food web from the surface to the ocean’s depths. Both the diet and trophic structure of twenty-nine species of mesopelagic fish collected [...] Read more.

Myctophids, commonly vertical migrators, and partial and non-migrant stomiiforms constitute most of the mesopelagic biomass, and transport organic matter throughout the food web from the surface to the ocean’s depths. Both the diet and trophic structure of twenty-nine species of mesopelagic fish collected around the Iberian Peninsula were studied through the analysis of stomach contents, quantifying food items with a high taxonomic resolution. The investigation covered oligotrophic to productive habitats, with sampling stations distributed in five discrete zones of the western Mediterranean Sea and the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. The geographic environmental conditions, migratory behavior, and species-specific body sizes allowed for the identification of some major feeding patterns for these fish communities. The trophic niche of migrant myctophids showed a high overlap, with copepods as the primary prey category. The diet composition of generalist myctophids (e.g., Ceratoscopelus maderensis and Hygophum benoiti) reflected the distinct zooplanktonic communities between zones. Large stomiiforms (Chauliodus spp., Sigmops elongatus) preferred feeding on micronekton, while the smallest stomiiforms (e.g., Argyropelecus spp., Cyclothone spp., Vinciguerria spp.) preyed on copepods and ostracods. Given the relevance of the mesopelagic fish communities for commercially exploited species and, therefore, for maintaining the sustainability of the fisheries’ activity in the zones analyzed, the information provided in the present study is essential for a better understanding of the biology and ecology of these species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trophic Web and Predator–Prey Dynamics in Marine Environment)

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17 pages, 3338 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Approaching the Ecological Role of the Squat Lobster (Munida gregaria) and the Fuegian Sprat (Sprattus fuegensis) in the Francisco Coloane Marine Area (Magellan Strait, Chile) Using a Pelagic Food Web Model

by Daniela Haro, Sergio Neira, Juan Carlos Hernández-Padilla, Francisco Arreguín-Sánchez, Pablo Sabat and Cristian Vargas

Animals 2023, 13(1), 3; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13010003 - 20 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1757

Abstract

The structure and functioning of the food web of the Francisco Coloane Marine Area in the Magellan Strait, Chile, was quantified, with an emphasis on identifying the ecological role of the squat lobster (Munida gregaria) and the Fuegian sprat (Sprattus [...] Read more.

The structure and functioning of the food web of the Francisco Coloane Marine Area in the Magellan Strait, Chile, was quantified, with an emphasis on identifying the ecological role of the squat lobster (Munida gregaria) and the Fuegian sprat (Sprattus fuegensis). Food web indicators, the trophic level, and centrality indices were estimated using Ecopath with Ecosim. Dynamic simulations were carried out to evaluate the ecosystem impacts of biomass changes in squat lobster and Fuegian sprat. The model calculated a total ecosystem biomass of 71.7 t km⁻² and a total primary production of 2450.9 t km⁻² year⁻¹. Squat lobster and Fuegian sprat were located in specific trophic levels of 2.3 and 2.7, respectively. Squat lobster reduction produced a decrease in the biomass of red cod (42–56%) and humpback whales (25–28%) and Fuegian sprat reduction a decrease in penguins (15–37%) and seabirds (11–34%). The Francisco Coloane Area is an immature ecosystem with productivity and energy flows values within those reported for productive ecosystems; the role of the squat lobster seems to be related to the structure of the food web, and the role of the Fuegian sprat seems to be related to the functioning of the ecosystem and to the energy transfer to top predators. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trophic Web and Predator–Prey Dynamics in Marine Environment)

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30 pages, 3534 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Life History of the Arctic Squid Gonatus fabricii (Cephalopoda: Oegopsida) Reconstructed by Analysis of Individual Ontogenetic Stable Isotopic Trajectories

by Alexey V. Golikov, Filipe R. Ceia, Hendrik J. T. Hoving, José P. Queirós, Rushan M. Sabirov, Martin E. Blicher, Anna M. Larionova, Wojciech Walkusz, Denis V. Zakharov and José C. Xavier

Animals 2022, 12(24), 3548; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12243548 - 15 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3574

Abstract

Cephalopods are important in Arctic marine ecosystems as predators and prey, but knowledge of their life cycles is poor. Consequently, they are under-represented in the Arctic ecosystems assessment models. One important parameter is the change in ecological role (habitat and diet) associated with [...] Read more.

Cephalopods are important in Arctic marine ecosystems as predators and prey, but knowledge of their life cycles is poor. Consequently, they are under-represented in the Arctic ecosystems assessment models. One important parameter is the change in ecological role (habitat and diet) associated with individual ontogenies. Here, the life history of Gonatus fabricii, the most abundant Arctic cephalopod, is reconstructed by the analysis of individual ontogenetic trajectories of stable isotopes (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) in archival hard body structures. This approach allows the prediction of the exact mantle length (ML) and mass when the species changes its ecological role. Our results show that the life history of G. fabricii is divided into four stages, each having a distinct ecology: (1) epipelagic squid (ML < 20 mm), preying mostly on copepods; (2) epi- and occasionally mesopelagic squid (ML 20–50 mm), preying on larger crustaceans, fish, and cephalopods; (3) meso- and bathypelagic squid (ML > 50 mm), preying mainly on fish and cephalopods; and (4) non-feeding bathypelagic gelatinous females (ML > 200 mm). Existing Arctic ecosystem models do not reflect the different ecological roles of G. fabricii correctly, and the novel data provided here are a necessary baseline for Arctic ecosystem modelling and forecasting. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trophic Web and Predator–Prey Dynamics in Marine Environment)

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13 pages, 4441 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Stranding of Mesopelagic Fishes in the Canary Islands

by Airam N. Sarmiento-Lezcano, María Couret, Antoni Lombarte, María Pilar Olivar, José María Landeira, Santiago Hernández-León and Víctor M. Tuset

Animals 2022, 12(24), 3465; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12243465 - 8 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1356

Abstract

Most mesopelagic fishes perform large diel vertical migrations from the deep-sea zone to the surface. Although there is a trade-off between a higher food availability at the upper layers and an energy cost and predation risk, incursion towards the surface also implies a [...] Read more.

Most mesopelagic fishes perform large diel vertical migrations from the deep-sea zone to the surface. Although there is a trade-off between a higher food availability at the upper layers and an energy cost and predation risk, incursion towards the surface also implies a transport by currents, where the fish are exposed to a stranding risk on the coast. Here, we reported the first documented stranding of mesopelagic fishes along the southeast shore of Gran Canaria Island. Our study hypothesized that (1) the influence of the Canary Current, (2) the dominant incidence of the Trade Winds during summer, and (3) the presence of an upwelling filament coupled with an anticyclonic eddy south of Gran Canaria Island were the causative mechanisms of the strandings. Diaphus dumerilii (Myctophidae family) was the main species found as observed from an external morphological analysis using traditional taxonomy. The otolith contour analysis suggested the presence of other Diaphus spp. and Lobianchia dofleini. Nevertheless, the otolith morphological features described in the literature suggested that all the specimens were actually D. dumerelii. Errors in the identification were mainly due to the high intraspecific variability found in the otolith morphology. Even so, two patterns of oval and elliptic shapes were described with significant differences in its morphometry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trophic Web and Predator–Prey Dynamics in Marine Environment)

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18 pages, 2523 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Seasonal Trophic Ecology and Diet Shift in the Common Sole Solea solea in the Central Adriatic Sea

by Emanuela Fanelli, Elena Principato, Eleonora Monfardini, Zaira Da Ros, Giuseppe Scarcella, Alberto Santojanni and Sabrina Colella

Animals 2022, 12(23), 3369; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12233369 - 30 Nov 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1827

Abstract

The common sole, Solea solea, is one the most important commercial species in Europe and, within the Mediterranean, the Adriatic basin is the most crucial area for its production. Although the species is overexploited in the basin, data on its trophic ecology [...] Read more.

The common sole, Solea solea, is one the most important commercial species in Europe and, within the Mediterranean, the Adriatic basin is the most crucial area for its production. Although the species is overexploited in the basin, data on its trophic ecology are fragmentary, even though this is one of the most important features within the Ecosystem Approach to Fishery. Here, we analysed temporal variations in the feeding ecology of the species by using an integrated approach of stomach contents and stable isotope analyses coupled with the analysis of some condition indices such as the gonadosomatic and the hepatosomatic indices. Changes in diet and trophic level across the years in adult females were clearly linked to the different energetic requirements facing reproduction. Temporal changes throughout the year were mainly related to changes in food availability. This study confirms the opportunistic behaviour of this benthophagous species and its role as a mesopredator, opening new perspectives for further investigations on the effects of the overexploitation of this important fishery resource on the marine trophic web. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trophic Web and Predator–Prey Dynamics in Marine Environment)

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22 pages, 2954 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Importance of the Lunar Cycle on Mesopelagic Foraging by Atlantic Bluefin Tuna in the Upwelling Area of the Strait of Messina (Central Mediterranean Sea)

by Pietro Battaglia, Cristina Pedà, Danilo Malara, Giacomo Milisenda, Brian R. MacKenzie, Valentina Esposito, Pierpaolo Consoli, Teresa Manuela Vicchio, Maria Giulia Stipa, Luca Pagano, Francesco Longo and Teresa Romeo

Animals 2022, 12(17), 2261; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12172261 - 31 Aug 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2778

Abstract

The influence of the lunar cycle on bluefin tuna foraging in the upwelling area of the Strait of Messina was investigated by exploring trophic interaction with mesopelagic fish and cephalopod prey. To focus on how the lunar cycle could affect availability of mesopelagic [...] Read more.

The influence of the lunar cycle on bluefin tuna foraging in the upwelling area of the Strait of Messina was investigated by exploring trophic interaction with mesopelagic fish and cephalopod prey. To focus on how the lunar cycle could affect availability of mesopelagic prey for this predator, we tested potential differences in the diet related to each lunar phase. Moreover, we considered two potential impacts of the lunar cycle: the lunar irradiance and the strength of currents. Overall, 2672 prey items were mesopelagic fish and cephalopods, representing 60.7% of overall diet by number. The main mesopelagic fish prey items were lanternfishes and dragonfishes, while Onychoteuthis banksii was the most important cephalopod prey. In summary, the Strait of Messina has highly specific hydrodynamic and biological features which strongly depend on upwelling currents, which in turn are influenced by the lunar cycle (new and full moon with strong currents, quarters with fewer currents). Upwelling causes water mixing, bringing to the surface a large amount of mesopelagic fauna which become more readily available to tuna. Lunar irradiance contributes to the variation of prey composition, increasing the success of visual predation on mesopelagic resources at high light in the water column. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trophic Web and Predator–Prey Dynamics in Marine Environment)

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9 pages, 2697 KiB

Open AccessCommentary

Assessing the Trophic Impact of Bleaching: The Model Pair Berghia stephanieae/Exaiptasia diaphana

by Ruben X. G. Silva, Diana Madeira, Paulo Cartaxana and Ricardo Calado

Animals 2023, 13(2), 291; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13020291 - 14 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2169

Abstract

Bleaching events associated with climate change are increasing worldwide, being a major threat to tropical coral reefs. Nonetheless, the indirect impacts promoted by the bleaching of organisms hosting photosynthetic endosymbionts, such as those impacting trophic interactions, have received considerably less attention by the [...] Read more.

Bleaching events associated with climate change are increasing worldwide, being a major threat to tropical coral reefs. Nonetheless, the indirect impacts promoted by the bleaching of organisms hosting photosynthetic endosymbionts, such as those impacting trophic interactions, have received considerably less attention by the scientific community. Bleaching significantly affects the nutritional quality of bleached organisms. The consequences promoted by such shifts remain largely overlooked, namely on specialized predators that have evolved to prey upon organisms hosting photosynthetic endosymbionts and benefit nutritionally, either directly or indirectly, from the available pool of photosynthates. In the present study, we advocate the use of the model predator–prey pair featuring the stenophagous nudibranch sea slug Berghia stephanieae that preys upon the photosymbiotic glass anemone Exaiptasia diaphana to study the impacts of bleaching on trophic interactions. These model organisms are already used in other research fields, and one may benefit from knowledge available on their physiology, omics, and culture protocols under controlled laboratory conditions. Moreover, B. stephanieae can thrive on either photosymbiotic or aposymbiotic (bleached) glass anemones, which can be easily maintained over long periods in the laboratory (unlike photosymbiotic corals). As such, one can investigate if and how nutritional shifts induced by bleaching impact highly specialized predators (stenophagous species), as well as if and how such effects cascade over consecutive generations. Overall, by using this model predator–prey pair one can start to truly unravel the trophic effects of bleaching events impacting coral reef communities, as well as their prevalence over time. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trophic Web and Predator–Prey Dynamics in Marine Environment)

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