Stable isotope and signature fatty acid analyses suggest reef manta rays feed on demersal zooplankton.

ABSTRACT: Assessing the trophic role and interaction of an animal is key to understanding its general ecology and dynamics. Conventional techniques used to elucidate diet, such as stomach content analysis, are not suitable for large threatened marine species. Non-lethal sampling combined with biochemical methods provides a practical alternative for investigating the feeding ecology of these species. Stable isotope and signature fatty acid analyses of muscle tissue were used for the first time to examine assimilated diet of the reef manta ray Manta alfredi, and were compared with different zooplankton functional groups (i.e. near-surface zooplankton collected during manta ray feeding events and non-feeding periods, epipelagic zooplankton, demersal zooplankton and several different zooplankton taxa).

SUBMITTER: Couturier LI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3805558 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature