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The diet of the emperor penguin, Aptenodytes forsteri, in Amanda Bay, Princess Elizabeth Land, Antarctica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 May 2004

N.J. Gales ,
N.T.W. Klages ,
R. Williams  and
E.J. Woehler
N.J. Gales
Affiliation:
Antarctic Division, Channel Highway, Kingston, Tasmania 7150, Australia
N.T.W. Klages
Affiliation:
Port Elizabeth Museum, Humewood 6013, South Africa
R. Williams
Affiliation:
Antarctic Division, Channel Highway, Kingston, Tasmania 7150, Australia
E.J. Woehler
Affiliation:
Antarctic Division, Channel Highway, Kingston, Tasmania 7150, Australia
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Abstract

The diet of the emperor penguin Aptenodytes forsteri (Gray) in Amanda Bay, Princess Elizabeth Land, Antarctica, was studied by analysis of adult stomach contents during part of the chick-rearing period from August to October 1986. The penguins consumed almost entirely fish, mainly Pleuragramma antarcticum (Boulenger) (78% by number and 78% by mass). Other fish species, cephalopods and crustaceans were minor components. These results and those of the only other two, geographically distinct, quantitative studies of the diet of emperor penguins suggest that the diet of this species varies through the effects of local topography and hydrology on prey availability.

Keywords

AptenodytesPleuragramma antarcticumprey availabilityPrydz Bay
Type
Papers—Life Sciences and Oceanography
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 2 , Issue 1 , March 1990 , pp. 23 - 28
Copyright
© Antarctic Science Ltd 1990

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