Trophic ecology of hairy conger eel Bassanago albescens in the Southwest Atlantic and its implications for the ecosystem-based fishery management
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47193/mafis.3422021010605Keywords:
Anguilliformes, ecosystem-based fishery management, feeding habits, ontogenetic changesAbstract
This study aimed to determine the diet composition and feeding strategies of the hairy conger eel Bassanago albescens in the Southwest Atlantic (35° S-45° S), from stomach contents analysis of 222 specimens. The diet consisted mainly of cephalopods, followed by isopods, amphipods, ophiuroids, brachyurous and polychaetes. Results showed significant differences in the composition of the diet between sexes, regions and size classes that were reflected in the changes in the foraging strategy. The consumption of squid Illex argentinus progressively increased with a growing predator size, where the largest individuals showed specialization in the consumption of this particular prey. We propose these dietary changes would be related to morphological limitations and abilities associated with the body size of B. albescens, with larger individuals having access to larger prey. Our results help to understand the biology of a species that has a sympatric distribution with two key species in the Argentine fisheries: hake Merluccius hubbsi and I. argentinus, with evidence of a strong trophic interaction between them. This new information on the resources involved would allow an optimization of the fisheries management under an ecosystem-based criterion.
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Copyright (c) 2021 Gabriela Blasina, Luciano Izzo, Agustín De Wysiecki, Daniel Figueroa
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