Abstract
The diets of 5 species of embiotocids (Rhacochilus vacca, Embiotoca jacksoni, Hypsurus caryi ryi, Phanerodon furcatus and Micrometrus minimus) from King Harbor, Redondo Beach, California, USA, are examined by means of a dietary survey, field feeding observations and bomb calorimetry of prey items. Each species is shown to have statistically different diets from all others, with the exception of H. caryi which apparently is a dietary intermediate between E. jacksoni and P. furcatus. Dietary overlap between E. jacksoni and H. caryi appears to have resulted in some competitive exclusion along other niche parameters. Estimated caloric intakes suggest that R. vacca has the highest caloric yield per bite and the lowest feeding rate of the species studied. Possible energetic advantages are found for diet specialization in R. vacca.
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Communicated by N.D. Holland, La Jolla
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Ellison, J.P., Terry, C. & Stephens, J.S. Food resource utilization among five species of embiotocids at King Harbor, California, with preliminary estimates of caloric intake. Marine Biology 52, 161–169 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00390424
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00390424