1. 北部薩南海域に来遊したジンベエザメの餌生物.
- Author
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眞子裕友, 小針統, 久米元, 兵藤不二夫, 野口真希, 一宮睦雄, 小森田智大, 河邊玲, 中村乙水, 米山和良, and 土田洋之
- Subjects
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FISH larvae , *STABLE isotopes , *MICROSCOPY , *TUNICATA , *COPEPODA , *AMPHIPODA , *WHALE shark , *MARINE zooplankton - Abstract
The prey of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) visiting the northern Satsunan area (western North Pacific Ocean) was investigated using microscopic and metabarcoding analysis of their faecal pellets. The stable isotope ratios of the dorsal fin and faecal pellets from the whale sharks were compared with those of their potential prey (plankton and fish larvae). Microscopic analysis identified protozoans (foraminifera) and metazoans (copepods, ostracods, and amphipods) but unclassified material was predominant in their faecal pellets. Metabarcoding analysis detected metazoans in the faecal pellets, represented by copepods, ostracods, amphipods, hydrozoans, and tunicates. Comparison of stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) from their dorsal fin and faecal pellets with those of zooplankton in the northern Satsunan area showed different feeding histories for the whale sharks appearing in the northern Satsunan area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022