Feeding ecology of two deep-sea skates bycaught on demersal longlines off Kerguelen Islands, Southern Indian Ocean

Type Article
Date 2023-04
Language English
Author(s) Faure JohannaORCID1, Gasco Nicolas1, Bonillo Céline1, Munaron Jean-Marie2, Cherel Yves3, Péron Clara1
Affiliation(s) 1 : Laboratoire de Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA), UMR 8067 – MNHN, CNRS, IRD, SU, UCN, UA, 75005, Paris, France
2 : Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, LEMAR, IUEM, 29280, Plouzané, France
3 : Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 du CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 79360, Villiers-en-Bois, France
Source Deep-sea Research Part I-oceanographic Research Papers (0967-0637) (Elsevier BV), 2023-04 , Vol. 194 , P. 103980 (14p.)
DOI 10.1016/j.dsr.2023.103980
WOS© Times Cited 1
Keyword(s) Trophic niche, Top predators, Bathyraja, Stable isotopes, DNA barcoding, Stomach contents
Abstract

Elasmobranchs, and particularly skates (Rajiforms), are commonly caught in fisheries worldwide as targeted catch or bycatch. Their life history traits make them particularly sensitive to elevated fishing mortality, especially in slow-growing deep-sea species. Knowledge of their ecology is key to ensure effective conservation and mitigation measures, especially dietary references to understand trophic relationships within the ecosystem. This study presents the first comprehensive description of diet composition and trophic position of two skate species (Bathyraja eatonii and B. irrasa) caught as bycatch in the French Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) fishery in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean (Kerguelen waters). Stomach content and stable isotopic analyses were performed on both species according to sex and maturity stage. DNA barcoding analysis was performed on prey tissue samples to identify or confirm identification of prey items found in stomachs. Overall, both skate species were generalist feeders with high δ15N values. The higher δ15N values of B. irrasa result in a higher estimated trophic position than B. eatonii. The diet of B. eatonii mainly consisted of fish, pelagic crustaceans and squids, while B. irrasa preyed more on benthic crustaceans, fish and annelids. While sex had no effect on diet and trophic position for both species, maturity stage influenced the prey composition of B. irrasa. Annelids and isopods were prevalent in the stomachs of immature individuals of B. irrasa, while mature individuals fed more on decapods and fish. Our results revealed a wide range of prey items for these two generalist predators (>57 species). Understanding the diet, trophic position and trophic relationships of B. eatonii and B. irrasa is critical to a better comprehension of the impact of the exploitation of top predators on the subantarctic demersal ecosystem.

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Faure Johanna, Gasco Nicolas, Bonillo Céline, Munaron Jean-Marie, Cherel Yves, Péron Clara (2023). Feeding ecology of two deep-sea skates bycaught on demersal longlines off Kerguelen Islands, Southern Indian Ocean. Deep-sea Research Part I-oceanographic Research Papers, 194, 103980 (14p.). Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2023.103980 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00817/92867/