Food habits of deep-sea macrourid fishes off the Oregon coast

Pearcy, William G.; Ambler, Julie W.

doi:10.1016/0011-7471(74)90081-3

Cited by 55 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Generally, macrourids do not eat many echinoderms (Pearcy & Ambler 1974, Stein 1985, Martin & Christiansen 1997) even though they are very abundant and dominate the epibenthic megafauna in most abyssal habitats and at Stn M (Lauerman et al 1996). Absence of echinoderms in acidic macrourid stomachs is probably not an artifact resulting from rapid digestion because the few echinoderms found in stomach contents are mostly carbonate-rich ophiurids (Pearcy & Ambler 1974, Drazen et al 2001) and the present FA results do not suggest they are eaten to any great extent. In addition, Feller et al (1985), using crossreacting antisera techniques with C. armatus intestinal fluids from 2500 m in the western Atlantic, found evidence for consumption of holothurians, but not other echinoderms.…”

Section: Macrourid Diet Inferred From Fatty Acid Profilescontrasting

confidence: 49%

“…Macrourids are known to feed on squid (Gonatopsis borealis and gonatids) and epipelagic fishes (Trachurus symmetricus and Merluccius productus) as carrion. Only Protankyra brychia, a burrowing vermiform holothurian, has been found in the guts of C. armatus and C. yaquinae in the North Pacific (Pearcy & Ambler 1974, Drazen et al 2008c. Generally, macrourids do not eat many echinoderms (Pearcy & Ambler 1974, Stein 1985, Martin & Christiansen 1997) even though they are very abundant and dominate the epibenthic megafauna in most abyssal habitats and at Stn M (Lauerman et al 1996).…”

Section: Macrourid Diet Inferred From Fatty Acid Profilesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Only Protankyra brychia, a burrowing vermiform holothurian, has been found in the guts of C. armatus and C. yaquinae in the North Pacific (Pearcy & Ambler 1974, Drazen et al 2008c. Generally, macrourids do not eat many echinoderms (Pearcy & Ambler 1974, Stein 1985, Martin & Christiansen 1997) even though they are very abundant and dominate the epibenthic megafauna in most abyssal habitats and at Stn M (Lauerman et al 1996). Absence of echinoderms in acidic macrourid stomachs is probably not an artifact resulting from rapid digestion because the few echinoderms found in stomach contents are mostly carbonate-rich ophiurids (Pearcy & Ambler 1974, Drazen et al 2001) and the present FA results do not suggest they are eaten to any great extent.…”

Section: Macrourid Diet Inferred From Fatty Acid Profilesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, an alternative trophic pathway exists. Many deep-sea fishes are attracted to cameras baited with pelagic carrion (Priede & Bagley 2000, Yeh & Drazen 2009) and a few studies have noted carrion in their diets (Haedrich & Henderson 1974, Pearcy & Ambler 1974, Bjelland et al 2000. However, these observations have rarely been quantified (Drazen et al 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lipid composition and diet inferences of abyssal macrourids in the eastern North Pacific

Drazen¹,

Phleger²,

Guest³

et al. 2009

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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The lipid compositions of 2 abyssal macrourids, Coryphaenoides armatus and C. yaquinae, from the eastern North Pacific were examined and used to infer diet. The resulting fatty acid (FA) profiles are the first published for C. yaquinae and among the first for abyssal fishes. They indicated a greater proportion of polyunsaturated FAs and lower monounsaturated FAs than shallower living congeners, suggestive of homeoviscous adaptations to great pressure. Cholesterol was the predominant sterol, which is frequently the case for exclusively carnivorous species. Comparisons of macrourid FA profiles were made to those of benthic prey and epipelagic carrion sources, including the Humboldt squid Dosidicus gigas captured in surface waters of the abyssal study site. The FA profiles of macrourid muscle were very similar to those of squid mantle muscle. The FA profiles of macrourid liver and swimbladder were similar to benthic crustaceans, whole squid, squid digestive gland and the epipelagic fish Trachurus symmetricus. For both tissues, the FA profiles of echinoderms were the most different. These comparisons suggest a strong link to carrion and benthic crustaceans and a weak one to echinoderms, the dominant megafauna at the study site and in most of the abyssal ocean. These results support previous stomach content and stable isotope analyses, reinforcing the hypothesis that there are closer food web ties between abyssal fishes and epipelagic nekton than to many abyssal benthic groups. The abyssal grenadier Coryphaenoides armatus feeds predominantly on crustaceans and carrion, and not on echinoderms, which are the most abundant benthic megafauna.

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Section: Macrourid Diet Inferred From Fatty Acid Profilescontrasting

confidence: 49%

Section: Macrourid Diet Inferred From Fatty Acid Profilesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Macrourid Diet Inferred From Fatty Acid Profilesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Lipid composition and diet inferences of abyssal macrourids in the eastern North Pacific

Drazen¹,

Phleger²,

Guest³

et al. 2009

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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show abstract

“…Even though the young stages may be able to feed on secondary production under the euphotic zone, they exploit pelagic waters where planktonic abundance is less variable than in epipelagic waters (Marshal1 1953). Concerning adults, macrourids utilize primarily epibenthic and infaunal invertebrates and appear to be generalist feeders (Pearcy & Ambler 1974, Macpherson 1979, Mauchline & Gordon 1984, Carrasson & Matallanas 1989. Their diversified diet can guarantee an extended period for them to become mature.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive strategies in macrourid fish:seasonality or not?

D’Onghia¹,

Basanisi²,

Matarrese³

et al. 1999

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Macrourid fish are abundantly found on the continental slope of the Ionian Sea (eastern Central Mediterranean), but the knowledge on their biology is still rather scanty. The reproductive stragegy of Hymenocephalus italicus, Nezumja sclerorhynchus and Coelorhynchus coelorhynchus was studied through data collected during 8 seasonal trawl surveys carried out between April 1996 and March 1998. Ripe females of H. italicus and N. sclerorhynchus were found all year round, with a small increase during summer and autumn in the former and without any seasonal component in the latter. Few ripe females of C. coelorhynchus were collected over the study period, with the exception of October 1996 when an increase was recorded, indicating that autumn could be included in the breeding season of this grenadier. The many different sizes of eggs and postovulatory follicles found in the ovaries indicate that all 3 species reproduce serially as multiple batch spawners. Maximum egg sizes were 1.5 mm in H. italicus and N. sclerorhynchus and 1.6 mm in C. coelorhynchus. The h~ghest gonadosomatic index values were found in H. italicus, and the lowest in C. c'oelorhynchus. All 3 species seem to delay reproduction. The size at first maturity (50% of the population) was 27 mm pre-anal length in H. italicus, 37 mm in N. sclerorhj/nchus and 61 mm in C. coelorhynchus. Aseasonal continuous spawning can be assumed for N. sclerorhynchus while the low frequency of the early maturity stages in H. italicus makes it difficult to state whether or not this macrourid spawns throughout the year without a seasonal component. Further study is necessary to define the reproductive cycle of C. coelorh ynch us.

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Abyssal Megafaunal Necrophages: Latitudinal Differences in the Eastern North Atlantic Ocean

Thurston

Bett

Rice

1995

Intl Review of Hydrobiology

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A pop-up time-lapse camera system (BATHYSNACK) was used to study megafaunal organisms attracted to bait at three abyssal localities in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean, a northern site on the Porcupine Abyssal Plain and two sub-tropical sites on the Madeira Abyssal Plain. Fish and decapod crustaceans appeared on 47 % of photographs taken during deployments of up to seven days duration. The fishes Coryphaenoides (Nematonunis) armatus and Pachycarci bsilbiceps and the decapod Munidopsis spp. dominated appearances at the northern locality whereas over 95 5% of records at the two subtropical localities were of the decapod Plesiopencieus nrmntus.Cyclical variations in necrophage abundance did not correlate with tidal cycles of near-bottom currents, although high F? nnnntus numbers were inversely related to current speed. Most of the frequently recorded entities showed contagious intraspecific distributions. In contrast, many of the interspecies relationships were non-random, with co-occurrences lower than expected. probably as a result of physical disturbance or potential predation. Population densities based on times of first arrival were calculated. Assemblages dominated by fish at higher latitudes and crustaceans at lower latitudes are discussed in terms of organic carbon supply to the deep sea and pelagic community structures.

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Food habits of deep-sea macrourid fishes off the Oregon coast

Cited by 55 publications

References 15 publications

Lipid composition and diet inferences of abyssal macrourids in the eastern North Pacific

Lipid composition and diet inferences of abyssal macrourids in the eastern North Pacific

Reproductive strategies in macrourid fish:seasonality or not?

Abyssal Megafaunal Necrophages: Latitudinal Differences in the Eastern North Atlantic Ocean

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