2024-03-29T09:19:08Zhttp://digital.csic.es/dspace-oai/requestoai:digital.csic.es:10261/1314982020-11-17T12:13:47Zcom_10261_13com_10261_8com_10261_123col_10261_266col_10261_376
Unravelling the ecological role and trophic relationships of uncommon and threatened elasmobranchs in the western Mediterranean Sea
Barría, Claudio
Coll, Marta
Navarro, Joan
Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España)
Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (Chile)
European Commission
Mediterranean Sea
Rays
Sharks
Skates
Species at risk
Stable isotopes
Trophic ecology
Trophic level
16 pages, 7 figures, 4 tables, supplementary material http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps11494
Deficiencies in basic ecological information on uncommon and endangered elasmobranch fishes impair the assessment of their ecological role in marine ecosystems. In this study, we examined the feeding ecology (diet composition and trophic level) and trophic relationships of 22 elasmo branchs (2 Carcharhiniformes, 1 Hexanchiformes, 1 Lamniformes, 3 Myliobatiformes, 6 Rajiformes, 6 Squaliformes and 3 Torpediniformes) present in the western Mediterranean Sea. To obtain a comprehensive view of the feeding ecology of these species, we combined different approaches: stable isotope analyses (δC and δN values), stomach content analyses and published sources. Our results revealed differences in feeding strategies among elasmobranch groups: skates (Rajiformes) mainly consume crustaceans; sharks (Carcharhiniformes, Hexanchiformes, Squaliformes and Lamniformes) prefer mixed diets composed of cephalopods, crustaceans and fishes; electric rays (Torpediniformes) feed mostly on fishes; and the diet of stingrays (Myliobatiformes) varies between species. Sharks and electric rays show higher trophic positions than skates, and the former occupy similar positions to other apex predators. Skates are more similar to other mesopredator fishes. These new findings offer essential information on the ecological role of several elasmobranchs in the western Mediterranean Sea and provide useful data for managers for future conservation strategies
2015-11-12
2016-04-27T12:19:13Z
artículo
Marine Ecology Progress Series 539: 225-240 (2015)
http://hdl.handle.net/10261/131498
10.3354/meps11494
http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003329
http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100002848
http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000780
eng
Publisher's version
http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps11494
Sí
http://www.int-res.com/journals/open-access/
openAccess
Inter Research