Consumption of pelagic tunicates by cetaceans calves in the Mediterranean Sea


Δημοσιευμένα: Ιουλ 24, 2018
NATALIA FRAIJA-FERNÁNDEZ
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6341-4276
ALFONSO A. RAMOS-ESPLÁ
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2687-2539
MARÍA ÁNGELES RADUÁN
CARMEN BLANCO
JUAN ANTONIO RAGA
FRANCISCO JAVIER AZNAR
Περίληψη

Gelatinous zooplankton, including jellyfish, ctenophores and pelagic tunicates, constitutes fragile marine animals that live in the water column, and represent an important resource for marine food webs through their seasonal pulses. Although there is scarce evidence on the occurrence of gelatinous zooplankton in stomach contents of apex, endothermic predators such as cetaceans, the ecological significance of such observations requires consideration. In this study, we report on the occurrence of pelagic tunicates in the stomach of three individual calves of two cetacean species from the western Mediterranean, and collate all previous reports of gelatinous zooplankton in cetacean diets. We then briefly discuss the possible dietary significance of these observations.

Λεπτομέρειες άρθρου
  • Ενότητα
  • Short Communication
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Βιογραφικό Συγγραφέα
NATALIA FRAIJA-FERNÁNDEZ, Marine Zoology Unit, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, PO Box 22085, 46071 Valencia, Spain.
Marine Zoology Unit, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology. University of Valencia
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