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Feeding habits and diet overlap of marine fish larvae from the peri-Antarctic Magellan region

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Abstract

The Magellan region is a unique peri-Antarctic ecosystem due to its geographical position. However, the knowledge about the distribution and feeding ecology of fish larvae is scarce. Since this area is characterized by low phytoplankton biomass, we hypothesize that marine fish larvae display different foraging tactics in order to reduce diet overlap. During austral spring 2009–2010, two oceanographic cruises were carried out along southern Patagonia (50–56°S). Larval fish distribution and feeding of the two most widely distributed species were studied, the smelt Bathylagichthys parini (Bathylagidae) and black southern cod Patagonotothen tessellata (Nototheniidae). Larvae of B. parini showed a lower increase in the mouth gape at size, primarily feeding during daytime (higher feeding incidence during the day) mostly on nonmotile prey (invertebrate and copepod eggs, appendicularian fecal pellets, diatoms). They showed no increase in feeding success (number, total volume of prey per gut and prey width) with increasing larval size, and the niche breadth was independent of larval size. Larvae of P. tessellata showed a large mouth gape at size, which may partially explain the predation on motile prey like large calanoid copepods (C. simillimus) and copepodites. They are nocturnal feeders (higher feeding incidence during night) and are exclusively carnivorous, feeding on larger prey as the larvae grow. Nonetheless, niche breadth was independent of larval size. Diet overlap was important only in individuals with smaller mouth gape (<890 μm) and diminished as larvae (and correspondingly their jaw) grow. In conclusion, in the peri-Antarctic Magellan region, fish larvae of two species display different foraging tactics, reducing their trophic overlap throughout their development.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the technical support in the field of María Inés Muñoz, Dr. Leonardo R. Castro (Universidad de Concepción) and all the crew of the AGOR Vidal Gormaz. Carolina Rojas M. helped in the analysis and separation of the plankton samples, and Nicolás Suárez-Donoso helped in the identification of some prey items. We appreciate the comments and suggestions made by two anonymous reviewers. This research was funded by Comité Oceanográfico Nacional de Chile (CONA) through projects CIMAR 15-F 09-03 and CIMAR 16-F 10-03 adjudicated to CAB, MFL and FB. During the writing of the manuscript, authors were partially funded by Fondecyt 11090020 (MFL), CONICYT Doctorate fellowship (CAB) and Universidad de Valparaíso scholarship (APV).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Ictioplancton (LABITI), Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y de Recursos Naturales, Universidad de Valparaíso, Avenida Borgoña 16344, Reñaca, Viña del Mar, Chile

    Franco Salas-Berrios, Javiera Valdés-Aguilera, Mauricio F. Landaeta & Claudia A. Bustos

  2. Programa Doctorado en Acuicultura, Universidad Católica del Norte, Campus Guayacán, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile

    Claudia A. Bustos

  3. Programa Doctorado en Ciencias mención Recursos Naturales Acuáticos, Universidad de Valparaíso, Avenida Borgoño 16344, Reñaca, Viña del Mar, Chile

    Alfredo Pérez-Vargas

  4. Laboratorio de Peces, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y de Recursos Naturales, Universidad de Valparaíso, Avenida Borgoño 16344, Reñaca, Viña del Mar, Chile

    Fernando Balbontín

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  1. Franco Salas-Berrios
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  2. Javiera Valdés-Aguilera
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  3. Mauricio F. Landaeta
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  4. Claudia A. Bustos
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  5. Alfredo Pérez-Vargas
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  6. Fernando Balbontín
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Correspondence to Mauricio F. Landaeta.

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Salas-Berrios, F., Valdés-Aguilera, J., Landaeta, M.F. et al. Feeding habits and diet overlap of marine fish larvae from the peri-Antarctic Magellan region. Polar Biol 36, 1401–1414 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-013-1359-8

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