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Feeding comparisons of four batoids (Elasmobranchii) in coastal waters of southern Brazil

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 May 2014

Hugo Bornatowski ,
Natascha Wosnick ,
Wanessa P. David do Carmo ,
Marco Fábio Maia Corrêa  and
Vinícius Abilhoa
Hugo Bornatowski*
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 19020, CEP 81531-980 Curitiba, PR, Brazil GPIc—Grupo de Pesquisas em Ictiofauna, Museu de História Natural Capão da Imbuia, Rua Prof. Benedito Conceição, 407, 82810-080, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
Natascha Wosnick
Affiliation:
Departamento de Fisiologia, Setor de Ciências Biológicas, Centro Politécnico, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, CEP 81531-990, Brazil
Wanessa P. David do Carmo
Affiliation:
Laboratório de Reprodução e Comunidade de Peixes, Universidade Federal do Paraná, CP 19031, CEP 81531-980, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
Marco Fábio Maia Corrêa
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 19020, CEP 81531-980 Curitiba, PR, Brazil GPIc—Grupo de Pesquisas em Ictiofauna, Museu de História Natural Capão da Imbuia, Rua Prof. Benedito Conceição, 407, 82810-080, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
Vinícius Abilhoa
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 19020, CEP 81531-980 Curitiba, PR, Brazil GPIc—Grupo de Pesquisas em Ictiofauna, Museu de História Natural Capão da Imbuia, Rua Prof. Benedito Conceição, 407, 82810-080, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: H. Bornatowski, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 19020, CEP 81531-980 Curitiba, PR, Brazil email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Food partitioning between species is a common strategy for avoiding resource competition which allows the coexistence of two or more species in the same place. In order to evaluate the feeding of four species of batoids regularly caught by artisanal fisheries in southern Brazil, the present study aimed to analyse and compare the diet of the four batoid species. The Chola guitarfish, Rhinobatos percellens, had a specialized diet, consisting predominantly of blue crabs Callinectes sp., followed by teleost fish. The Lesser guitarfish Zapteryx brevirostris also had a very specialized diet, consuming mainly on Polychaeta, followed by Caridea shrimp. The Cownose ray, Rhinoptera bonasus, fed mainly on Ophiuroidea, followed by Gastropoda and Bivalvia. Finally, the Rio skate Rioraja agassizi, fed on teleost fish, Gammaridae, Caridea shrimp and Dendrobranchiata shrimp. An analysis of similarity showed significant differences among species in their diet. The trophic levels of the batoids in this study are <4.0, placing them in intermediate trophic levels. The analysis of the diets indicates that feeding differs substantially among the four species, suggesting a partitioning of food resources available in the environment.

Keywords

RajiformesMyliobatiformesdietpartitioningskatesguitarfish
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 94 , Issue 7 , November 2014 , pp. 1491 - 1499
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2014 

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