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The breeding season diet of Adélie penguins at the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica

  • Conference paper
Biology of the Vestfold Hills, Antarctica

Part of the book series: Developments in Hydrobiology ((DIHY,volume 34))

Abstract

The stomach contents of adult Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adéliae) were sampled at Magnetic Island, 4.5 km offshore from Davis Station, Antarctica. An intensive sampling program was conducted during the posthatching (mid-December to late February) part of the 1982–1983 breeding season, and during the prehatching (mid-October to mid-December) part of the 1983–1984 breeding season. Combining the samples from both seasons, weekly sampling covered almost the entire 4.5 months the penguins spent ashore at the breeding colonies and resulted in a total of 574 samples.

Samples obtained prior to hatching were very small and consisted mostly of amphipods (14 species represented). During the chick rearing period, the weight of samples increased steadily. Euphausia crystallorophias was an important food item throughout the sampling period, particularly from hatching onwards. Euphasia superba also occurred regularly. After a brief peak in late December, it was usually present but it was seldom the major component. Fish of ten species, predominantly Pleuragramma antarcticum, (up to 195 mm in length), became a significant component when the chicks formed crêches in early January. They became the principal dietary component at fledging in February.

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Author notes

  1. R. A. Puddicombe

    Present address: Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service, G.P.O. Box 636, 2601, Canberra, A.C.T, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Science, Antarctic Division, 7050, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia

    R. A. Puddicombe & G. W. Johnstone

Authors
  1. R. A. Puddicombe
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  2. G. W. Johnstone
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

    J. M. Ferris

  2. Australian Antarctic Division, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia

    H. R. Burton  & G. W. Johnstone  & 

  3. Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    I. A. E. Bayly

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© 1988 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Puddicombe, R.A., Johnstone, G.W. (1988). The breeding season diet of Adélie penguins at the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica. In: Ferris, J.M., Burton, H.R., Johnstone, G.W., Bayly, I.A.E. (eds) Biology of the Vestfold Hills, Antarctica. Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 34. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3089-6_25

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3089-6_25

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-7888-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-3089-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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