Trophodynamics of the Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni) in the Antarctic Peninsula: Ontogenetic changes in diet composition and prey fatty acid profiles.

ABSTRACT: The Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni) is the largest notothenioid species in the Southern Ocean, playing a keystone role in the trophic web as a food source for marine mammals and a top predator in deep-sea ecosystems. Most ecological knowledge on this species relies on samples from areas where direct fishing is allowed, whereas in areas closed to fishing, such as the Antarctic Peninsula (AP), there are still key ecological gaps to ensure effective conservation, especially regarding our understanding of its trophic relationships within the ecosystem. Here, we present the first comprehensive study of the feeding behavior of Antarctic toothfish caught in the northern tip of the AP, during two consecutive fishing seasons (2019/20 and 2020/21). Stomach content was analyzed according t

SUBMITTER: Perez-Pezoa K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10553334 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature