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First assessment of the diet composition and trophic level of an assemblage of poorly known chondrichthyans off the central coast of Peru

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Abstract

Although chondrichthyans are conspicuously present in shallow waters, many ecological aspects of neritic species in the Humboldt Current System remain unknown. This study provides a first assessment of the diet of seven commercially exploited and understudied sympatric chondrichthyans inhabiting nearshore habitats off the central coast of Peru: four stingrays (Hypanus dipterurus, Myliobatis peruvianus, M. chilensis, and Urotrygon chilensis), a guitarfish (Pseudobatos planiceps), a smooth-hound shark (Mustelus mento), and a chimaera (Callorhinchus callorynchus). A total of 166 stomachs were examined between 2012 and 2015 and prey items were pooled for the total of years for analysis. Although our analysis did not account for inter seasons variability, our results suggest diet partitioning among species, except for the stingrays’ group. A diet based on soft-bottom polychaetes and fish was shared by H. dipterurus, M. peruvianus, and M. chilensis, while soft-bottom polychaetes and crabs were more important in U. chilensis. The smooth-hound shark and guitarfish exhibited a diet dominated by crabs, and the chimaera consumed mainly hard-bottom mollusks. Foraging habitat estimations distinguished two main habitats of association: Benthic, including the stingray U. chilensis, the chimaera, and the smooth-hound shark; and benthic-demersal, including the guitarfish, and the rest of stingrays. A pattern of feeding specialization was observed for H. dipterurus, P. planiceps, and C. callorynchus. Preliminary trophic level estimations based on diet composition placed these species as secondary consumers. Intraspecific dietary variation was assessed for P. planiceps and H. dipterurus as their sampled sizes allowed meaningful comparisons. The diet of P. planiceps varied from small to large sizes but not for H. dipterurus. No differences were detected on diet composition between males and females in either species. Despite the limited temporal resolution, this study provides the first insights of chondrichthyans predatory activity, suggesting diet partitioning among the species of this assemblage in a nearshore habitat of the central coast of Peru. Enhancing the temporal resolution of this type of studies would improve our knowledge on trophic functioning in the Humboldt Current ecosystem.

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Acknowledgements

We thank PERU LNG and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute for funding this study. We also thank the artisanal fishermen of Chincha and the staff of The Environment Management S.A.C. for their data collection, sample analyses and logistic support during the study, in particular to R. Canales, F. Castagnino and F. Menéndez. We extend our gratitude to Chris Harrod, Alfonso Alonso, and John Ramirez for their constructive comments that helped improve the manuscript. Five anonymous reviewers provided helpful comments on an early version of this manuscript. This publication is contribution No. 44 of the Biodiversity Monitoring and Assessment Program, implemented by the Center for Conservation and Sustainability of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute.

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  1. Center for Conservation and Sustainability, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C., USA

    L. Silva-Garay & X. Vélez-Zuazo

  2. Censor Laboratory, Instituto de Ciencias Naturales Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile

    A. S. Pacheco

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  1. L. Silva-Garay
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Silva-Garay, L., Pacheco, A.S. & Vélez-Zuazo, X. First assessment of the diet composition and trophic level of an assemblage of poorly known chondrichthyans off the central coast of Peru. Environ Biol Fish 101, 1525–1536 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-018-0797-0

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