Assessing the feeding ecology of three sympatric squids Illex argentinus, Doryteuthis gahi and Onykia ingens off the Patagonian by combining stomach content and stable isotopic analysis

Abstract

The Ommastrephidae Illex argentinus, the Loliginidae Doryteuthis gahi and the Onychoteuthidae Onikya ingens are squid species coexisting in the south part of the Patagonian Shelf, interacting for similar feeding resources. In the present study, we analyzed the feeding ecology, trophic position and trophic relationships of these three species by combining stomach content and stable isotopic approximations. In particular, stomach content and isotopic analysis were carried out on 20 D. gahi, 20 I. argentinus and 21 O. ingens collected from May 6th and 8th 2013 at depths between 147 and 220 m. The results indicated that the feeding habits of small and larger squids were different in the three species. The two main prey species for small D. gahi individuals were the euphausid Euphausia sp. and the amphipod Eutemisto gaudichaudi, and the main prey for larger D. gahi individuals were a fish and the Munididae Munida subrugosa. The main prey group of small I. argentinus individuals was the amphipod E. gaudichaudi and the myctophid fish, and the main prey for larger size I. argentinus individuals were the paralepididae Arctozenus risso and the Notothenidae Patagonotothen ramsayi, secondly by the squid group. Small O. ingens individuals fed on Micromesistius australis and Notophysis marginata while larger O. ingens individuals fed on Lampanyctus australis and Notoscopelus sp. D. gahi showed higher δ15N values than the other two species and small and larger D. gahi individuals showed similar isotopic values. The δ15N values of I. argentinus and O. ingens were higher for larger individuals. Finally, D. gahi differed in its δ13C values from I. argentinus and O. ingens and the less depleted δ13C values were found in the larger in D. gahi individuals. The results indicate that the three squid species preyed on organisms with similar trophic position, but due to their voracity and their active predation on similar trophic resources, small size individuals segregate their trophic niche from the larger ones. It is important to note that the δ13C values revealed that larger D. gahi individuals had a different distribution in the water column, which probably is a response of the reproductive activity of mature squid near to the surface water.Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Méxic