Search

Baleen from mysticete whales is a well-preserved proteinaceous material that can be used to identify migrations and feeding habits for species whose migration pathways are unknown. Analysis of δ 13 C and δ 15 N values from bulk baleen have been used to infer migration patterns for individuals. However, this approach has fallen short of identifying migrations between regions as it is difficult to determine variations in isotopic shifts without temporal sampling of prey items. Here, we apply analysis of δ 15 N values of amino acids to five baleen plates belonging to three species, revealing novel insights on trophic position, metabolic state and migration between regions. Humpback and minke whales had higher reconstructed trophic levels than fin whales (3.7–3.8 versus 3–3.2, respectively) as expected due to different feeding specialization. Isotopic niche areas between baleen minima and maxima were well separated, indicating regional resource use for individuals during migration that aligned with isotopic gradients in Atlantic Ocean particulate organic matter. Phenylanine δ 15 N values confirmed regional separation between the niche areas for two fin whales as migrations occurred and elevated glycine and threonine δ 15 N values suggested physiological changes due to fasting. Simultaneous resolution of trophic level and physiological changes allow for identification of regional migrations in mysticetes.

Fin whales are large filter feeders that target aggregated small crustaceans and fishes that occur in bulk in the upper 500 m of the water column. Much of the knowledge on fin whale diet stems from stomach content analyses associated with whaling. Whales’ intestines were not normally sampled but should also hold prey remains since prey have also been identified from faeces. Further, if successive meals vary, the stomach and intestine may contain different prey. Therefore, dietary information may be missed if only stomach contents are examined.