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Trophic Resource Overlap Between Small Elasmobranchs and Sympatric Teleosts in Mid-Atlantic Bight Nearshore Habitats

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Abstract

Small, abundant elasmobranchs use shallow marine areas (<20 m depth) of the US Middle Atlantic coast as nurseries and adult foraging habitat, an area also used by a diverse assemblage of economically important juvenile and adult teleost species. Specimens of three small elasmobranch species (smooth dogfish Mustelus canis, clearnose skate Raja eglanteria, and bullnose ray Myliobatis freminvillii) were collected in August 2007 and 2008 from a study area of ∼150 km2, extending 22 km south from Ocean City, Maryland, USA (38° 19′ N) and offshore from 5- to 20-m depth. Stomach contents indicated that fish were part of the diets of smooth dogfish and clearnose skate at a level comparable with sympatric piscivorous teleosts. However, stable isotope data suggest that piscivory is likely an opportunistic foraging behavior in this habitat. Studied elasmobranchs were secondary-tertiary consumers with diets composed primarily of decapod crustaceans, fish, and mollusks. There was significant overlap in diet composition, spatial distribution, and diel stomach fullness patterns between clearnose skate, southern kingfish Menticirrhus americanus (teleost) and, to a lesser extent, smooth dogfish. Despite this evidence for piscivory, their relatively low densities suggest that predation by these elasmobranchs is unlikely to affect teleost populations in shallow coastal ocean habitats. If shared prey were to become scarce, then competitive interactions are possible.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Rebecca Wingate, Kari Fenske, Lisa Guy, and the crew of the R/V Seawolf for help during field collection and Richard Doucett at Colorado Plateau Stable Isotope Laboratory for aid in stable isotope sample analysis. Joel Fodrie, Edward Houde, and Michael Wilberg and an anonymous reviewer provided valuable editorial suggestions on an earlier draft of this manuscript. The field component of this study was funded by the Bluefish Research Program (NOAA/NMFS/CMER/Rutgers University). Support was also provided by Maryland Sea Grant (NA10OAR4170072).

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  1. Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, 1 Williams St., PO Box 38, Solomons, MD, 20688, USA

    Ryan Jordan Woodland & David H. Secor

  2. Auburn University, 203B Swingle Hall, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA

    Madeline E. Wedge

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  1. Ryan Jordan Woodland
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Correspondence to Ryan Jordan Woodland.

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Woodland, R.J., Secor, D.H. & Wedge, M.E. Trophic Resource Overlap Between Small Elasmobranchs and Sympatric Teleosts in Mid-Atlantic Bight Nearshore Habitats. Estuaries and Coasts 34, 391–404 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-010-9331-0

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