The diets of four Bathyraja skates (Elasmobranchii, Arhynchobatidae) from the Southwest Atlantic

Bellegia M., Scenna L., Barbini S.A., Figueroa D.E., Díaz de Astarloa J.M.

Published date: December 2014
Volume: 38
Number: 4
Pagination: 314-318
doi: https://doi.org/10.26028/cybium/2014-384-012
Notes:

How to cite: Bellegia, M., Scenna, L., Barbini, S. A., Figueroa, D. E., & Díaz de Astarloa, J. M. (2014). The diets of four Bathyraja skates (Elasmobranchii, Arhynchobatidae) from the Southwest Atlantic. Cybium, 38(4): 314-318. https://doi.org/10.26028/CYBIUM/2014-384-012

Abstract

The diet of four Bathyraja species (B. cousseauae, B. griseocauda, B. multispinis and B. scaphiops) was studied in the Southwest Atlantic. Main preys of B. cousseauae were teleosts, followed by isopods and amphipods. Isopods were the most important prey item of B. griseocauda, followed by teleosts. Bathyraja multispinis was a benthic predator that fed almost exclusively on crabs, and secondarily on isopods. Teleosts were the main prey category of B. scaphiops, followed by amphipods. These results on the diet of these infrequent skate species filled the critical data gap about the trophic ecology of Bathyraja genus in the region.

Keywords: Argentinean continental shelf - Arhynchobatidae - Bathyraja cousseauae - Bathyraja griseocauda - Bathyraja multispinis - Bathyraja scaphiops - Diet composition - Southwest Atlantic
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