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MEPS 632:131-144 (2019)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13152

Food spectrum and trophic position of an Arctic cephalopod, Rossia palpebrosa (Sepiolida), inferred by stomach contents and stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N) analyses

Alexey V. Golikov1,*, Filipe R. Ceia2, Rushan M. Sabirov1, Alexander N. Belyaev1, Martin E. Blicher3, Nanette H. Arboe4, Denis V. Zakharov5,6, José C. Xavier2,7

1Department of Zoology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia
2Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
3Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland
4Department of Fish and Shellfish, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland
5Laboratory of Coastal Research, Polar Branch of All-Russian Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (PINRO named after N.M. Knipovich), 183038 Murmansk, Russia
6Laboratory of Zoobenthos, Murmansk Marine Biological Institute, 183010 Murmansk, Russia
7British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, CB3 0ET Cambridge, UK
*Corresponding author:

ABSTRACT: Rossia palpebrosa (Sepiolida) is the most abundant nekto-benthic cephalopod in the Arctic; however, its feeding and trophic ecology are largely unknown. This work aims to assess the role of this species in Arctic ecosystems based on the contents of its stomach and analyses of δ13C and δ15N stable isotopes in its beak. The main taxa identified in the food spectrum were Crustacea (frequency of occurrence: 52.1%), followed by Polychaeta (14.6%) and fishes (6.3%). Sipuncula and Echinoidea were occasionally found and were recorded here as R. palpebrosa prey for the first time, as well as Polychaeta and Euphausiacea. A significant geographic increase in δ13C values (mean ± SE, -19.3 ± 0.2‰) from the Barents Sea to West Greenland was found, but no significant ontogenetic increase, suggesting no migrations occurred among different water masses. Values of δ15N (8.7 ± 0.2‰) and trophic level (TL; 3.6 ± 0.1) revealed significant ontogenetic increases and an absence of geographic patterns, suggesting the trophic role of this species is similar throughout the studied part of the Arctic. Stable isotope values, TL and food spectrum for R. palpebrosa are close to Arctic nekto-benthic predatory fishes and shrimps, especially Pandalus borealis. However, sepiolids prey on organisms exceeding their own size and do not scavenge. A gradual ontogenetic decrease in isotopic niche width, while increasing diversity in the food spectrum of larger specimens, was observed in R. palpebrosa. However, δ13C values, i.e. variation in primary productivity supporting food sources, were more responsible for these ontogenetic differences in niche size than δ15N values.


KEY WORDS: Bobtail squid · Arctic marine food webs · Trophic ecology · Feeding · Ecological niche · Competition · Pandalus borealis · Northern shrimp


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Cite this article as: Golikov AV, Ceia FR, Sabirov RM, Belyaev AN and others (2019) Food spectrum and trophic position of an Arctic cephalopod, Rossia palpebrosa (Sepiolida), inferred by stomach contents and stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N) analyses. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 632:131-144. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13152

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