Diets of spiny lobsters from Mahé Island reefs, Seychelles reefs inferred by trophic tracers

Type Article
Date 2021-02
Language English
Author(s) Sardenne FanyORCID1, Bodin Nathalie2, 3, Barret LeoORCID4, Blamey Laura5, Govinden RodneyORCID2, Gabriel Kettyna2, Mangroo Rosabella2, Munaron Jean-Marie7, Le Loch Francois7, Bideau Antoine8, Le Grand FabienneORCID1, Sabino MagaliORCID6, Bustamante Paco6, Rowat David4
Affiliation(s) 1 : Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, LEMAR, F-29280 Plouzané, France
2 : Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA), Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles
3 : IRD (French Research Institute for Sustainable Development), Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles
4 : Marine Conservation Society Seychelles (MCSS), BeauVallon, Mahé, Seychelles
5 : James Michel Blue Economy Research Institute (BERI), University of Seychelles, Anse Royale, Mahé, Seychelles
6 : Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS, La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17 000 La Rochelle, France
7 : Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, LEMAR, F-29280 Plouzané, France
8 : Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, LEMAR, F-29280 Plouzané, France
Source Regional Studies In Marine Science (2352-4855) (Elsevier BV), 2021-02 , Vol. 42 , P. 101640 (11p.)
DOI 10.1016/j.rsma.2021.101640
WOS© Times Cited 3
Keyword(s) Fatty acids, Stable isotopes, Bayesian mixing model, Panulirus spp, Tropical reef habitats, Western Indian Ocean
Abstract

Spiny lobsters (Panulirus longipes, P. penicillatus and P. versicolor) are an important resource in Seychelles, where they inhabit coastal carbonate and granite reefs that have been impacted by multiple coral bleaching events over the past two decades. Little is known about their biology and ecology in this region. Interspecific competition for food resources was previously suggested, but no quantitative data on the diets of spiny lobsters were available. Using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope compositions and fatty acid profiles of three spiny lobster species and their potential prey, a Bayesian mixing model for diet estimation was applied to compare the diet proportions of spiny lobsters among species and between reef types (carbonate and granite reefs). Model outputs suggested the three lobster species consume mainly crustaceans (Anomoura hermit crabs; half of the diet), then Echinoidea (sea urchins), algae and molluscs. P. versicolor was found to consume slightly more molluscs and algae than the two other studied species, which was consistent with its lower trophic level (2.4 vs 2.8 for the two other species). Trophic level did not increase with carapace length of spiny lobsters, but large individuals had higher carbon isotopic values suggesting that they might feed closer to the coast or more on detritus feeders than their smaller congeners. Diets of spiny lobsters were fairly similar between carbonate and granite reefs, except that lobster inhabiting granite reefs consumed more sea urchins. While our overall findings were consistent with gut contents of Panulirus spp. from other world regions, they should be confirmed, as the discrimination of several prey based on trophic tracers was low, which increased mixing model uncertainty.

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Sardenne Fany, Bodin Nathalie, Barret Leo, Blamey Laura, Govinden Rodney, Gabriel Kettyna, Mangroo Rosabella, Munaron Jean-Marie, Le Loch Francois, Bideau Antoine, Le Grand Fabienne, Sabino Magali, Bustamante Paco, Rowat David (2021). Diets of spiny lobsters from Mahé Island reefs, Seychelles reefs inferred by trophic tracers. Regional Studies In Marine Science, 42, 101640 (11p.). Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2021.101640 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00676/78848/