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A preliminary estimate of the trophic position of the deep-water ram’s horn squid Spirula spirula based on the nitrogen isotopic composition of amino acids

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Abstract

The ram’s horn squid, Spirula spirula (Spirulida, Coleoidea), inhabits subsurface waters of the tropical and subtropical oceans. Because of the presence of an internal chambered shell in this species, it has frequently been used as a model species to investigate the paleobiology of fossil coleoids. However, the feeding and dietary habits of S. spirula in the nature are poorly known. In this study, we applied a new method (amino acid nitrogen isotopic analysis) to estimate the trophic position of S. spirula specimens captured off Suriname, as well as three cuttlefish Sepia species (Sepia officinalis, S. latimanus, and S. esculenta), with a calcified chambered shell from the shallower water. The trophic position of S. spirula was estimated to be 2.5–2.8, which was significantly lower than that for the three Sepia species (3.4–3.6). The results and available data on the gastric contents of S. spirula suggest that it feeds mainly on detritus and zooplankton, including crustaceans, from the overlying water column. The method used in this study can potentially be applied to the estimation of the trophic position of the fossil cephalopods having calcified chambered shells.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. T. Kubodera of the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo and Dr. T. Okutani at JAMSTEC for kindly providing specimens used in this study. We also thank two anonymous reviewers for comments that improved the manuscript.

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Author notes

  1. Kazushige Tanabe

    Present address: Department of Historical Geology and Paleontology The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biogeoscience, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka, 237-0061, Japan

    Naohiko Ohkouchi & Yoshito Chikaraishi

  2. Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of Tokyo, 8-3-1 Hongo Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan

    Ryuichi Tsuda & Kazushige Tanabe

Authors
  1. Naohiko Ohkouchi
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  2. Ryuichi Tsuda
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  3. Yoshito Chikaraishi
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  4. Kazushige Tanabe
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Correspondence to Naohiko Ohkouchi or Kazushige Tanabe.

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Communicated by C. Harrod.

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Ohkouchi, N., Tsuda, R., Chikaraishi, Y. et al. A preliminary estimate of the trophic position of the deep-water ram’s horn squid Spirula spirula based on the nitrogen isotopic composition of amino acids. Mar Biol 160, 773–779 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-012-2132-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-012-2132-1

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