Feeding habits of the blue shark (Prionace glauca) off the coast of Brazil

Júnior, Teodoro Vaske; Lessa, Rosângela; Gadig, Otto Bismarck Fazzano

doi:10.1590/s1676-06032009000300004

Cited by 25 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…The P. glauca, in turn, feeds mainly on teleosts, and the squids should only constitute a complementary diet. This pattern confirms results obtained by Bornatowski & Schwingel (2008) and Vaske-Junior et al (2009). Notwithstanding this, a result based on the analyses of 68 stomachs of such sharks caught at oceanic waters off the southern Brazilian coast (Vaske-Junior & Rincón-Filho, 1998) indicate a diet to be mainly based on squids, represented most frequently by the batipelagic Chiroteuthis veranyi.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Diet Composition of Pelagic Fish in the Southwestern Atlantic, Brazil: An Isotopic Mixtures Approach

Gorni

Ribeiro

Goitein

et al. 2017

ACMAR

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A proposta do presente trabalho é caracterizar, através de modelos de mistura isotópica (13C e 15N), a dieta de predadores de topo pelágicos do Oceano Atlântico Sudoeste. Para isso, amostras de tecido muscular foram coletadas dos seguintes peixes: Xiphias gladius, Thunnus obesus, Thunnus alalunga, Thunnus albacares, Prionace glauca, Alopias superciliosus e Isurus oxyrinchus. Os resultados indicam que a dieta de X. gladius é composta primariamente de cefalópodes (lulas Ommastrephidae). Um padrão similar é apresentado por T. alalunga, cuja dieta é também composta principalmente por lulas Ommastrephidae. T. albacares e T. obesus apresentam padrões similares de composição da dieta, ambas as espécies alimentam-se primariamente de pequenos peixes pelágicos. A. superciliosus compõe sua dieta principalmente de espécies de Scombridae (T. albacares e T. alalunga), diferentemente de P. glauca, cuja dieta é composta primariamente de peixes pelágicos de menor porte. O uso, de forma conjunta, das informações extraídas tanto do conteúdo estomacal dos predadores, quanto das análises isotópicas de seus tecidos, apresenta-se como um importante passo em direção ao completo entendimento da rede trófica pelágica do Oceano Atlântico Sudoeste.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Diet Composition of Pelagic Fish in the Southwestern Atlantic, Brazil: An Isotopic Mixtures Approach

Gorni

Ribeiro

Goitein

et al. 2017

ACMAR

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“…For blue sharks, such surface orientated 'curiosity' could result in a meal. Several studies have reported blue sharks consuming birds [20,21] and lumpsucker fish (Cyclopterus lumpus), a fish associated with rafting seaweed [22]. Support also exists for blue sharks profiting from increased densities of surface-dwelling prey at dawn.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A dawn peak in the occurrence of ‘knifing behaviour’ in blue sharks

et al. 2015

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Background: Knifing is a behaviour whereby a shark swims directly at the surface with its dorsal fin out of the water. While this behaviour has been reported in a number of species, information on the frequency and timing of such behaviour could provide insights on how sharks use the ocean-atmosphere interface. Findings: Our analysis of the timing of the reception of satellite (Argos) messages from SPOT-tagged blue sharks has revealed important insights on knifing behaviour in one of the ocean's most abundant large predators. We found that knifing behaviour was common in all tagged sharks and occurred during 54-76 % of days tracked, with a mean (and SD) of 4.7 ± 0.4 knifing events per day when observed. The frequency of knifing behaviour increased during the dawn period in all sharks and was supported by analysis of high-resolution depth data from a recovered archival tag. One shark also had a pronounced peak in knifing activity at dusk. Conclusions:We suggest that blue sharks may be using surface waters during twilight periods to maximise foraging opportunities. Light conditions at dawn are consistent with surface-dwelling prey being both more dispersed and silhouetted by ambient light conditions, making individual prey more visible. The application of this analysis to other species of sharks may provide further insights on knifing behaviour.

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“…Blue sharks are a dietary generalist, consuming a wide variety of prey (Vaske Junior et al 2009), coupled with euthophagous habits (Henderson et al 2001;Campana et al 2011). The species appears to hunt in deeper water in during daylight hours and in shallower surface waters during nighttime (Tricas, 1979;Henderson et al 2001;Campana et al 2011;Doyle et al 2015).…”

Section: Oral Papillae and Implications For Gustationmentioning

confidence: 99%

A preliminary investigation into the morphology of oral papillae and denticles of blue sharks (Prionace glauca) with inferences about its functional significance across life stages

et al. 2016

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Sensory organs in elasmobranchs (sharks, skates, rays) detect and respond to a different set of biotic and/or abiotic stimuli, through sight, smell, taste, hearing, mechanoreception and electroreception. Although gustation is crucial for survival and essential for growth, mobility, and maintenance of neural activity and the proper functioning of the immune system, comparatively little is known about this sensory system in elasmobranchs. Here we present a preliminary investigation into the structural and dimensional characteristics of the oral papillae and denticles found in the oropharyngeal cavity of the blue shark (Prionace glauca) during embryonic development through adulthood. Samples were obtained from the dorsal and ventral surface of the oropharyngeal cavity collected from embryos at different development stages as well as from adults. Our results suggest that development of papillae occurs early in ontogeny, before the formation of the oral denticles. The diameter of oral papillae gradually increases during development, starting from 25 μm in stage I embryos, to 110 μm in stage IV embryos and 272-300 μm in adults. Embryos exhibit papillae at early developmental stages, suggesting that these structures may be important during early in life. The highest density of papillae was observed in the maxillary and mandibular valve regions, possibly related to the ability to identify, capture and process prey. The oral denticles were observed only in the final embryonic stage as well as in adults. Accordingly, we suggest that oral denticles likely aid in ram ventilation (through reducing the hydrodynamic drag), to protect papillae from injury during prey consumption and assist in the retention and consumption of prey (through adhesion), since these processes are only necessary after birth.

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Feeding habits of the blue shark (Prionace glauca) off the coast of Brazil

Cited by 25 publications

References 7 publications

Diet Composition of Pelagic Fish in the Southwestern Atlantic, Brazil: An Isotopic Mixtures Approach

Diet Composition of Pelagic Fish in the Southwestern Atlantic, Brazil: An Isotopic Mixtures Approach

A dawn peak in the occurrence of ‘knifing behaviour’ in blue sharks

A preliminary investigation into the morphology of oral papillae and denticles of blue sharks (Prionace glauca) with inferences about its functional significance across life stages

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