- Title
- Trophic relationships of hake (Merluccius capensis and M. paradoxus) and sharks (Centrophorus squamosus, Deania calcea and D. profundorum) in the Northern (Namibia) Benguela Current region
- Creator
- Iitembu, Johannes A, Richoux, Nicole B
- Subject
- To be catalogued
- Date
- 2015
- Type
- text
- Type
- article
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10962/443830
- Identifier
- vital:74157
- Identifier
- https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC183122
- Description
- The trophic relationships of two hake species (Merluccius capensis and M. paradoxus) and three shark species (Centrophorus squamosus, Deania calcea and D. profundorum) were investigated using nitrogen and carbon stable isotope signatures (15N and 13C) of their muscle tissues. The sharks were more enriched in 15N than the hake, an indication of the apex predator status of sharks. Among the sharks considered, C. squamosus occupied the highest trophic level and fed primarily on benthic prey. The two species of shark from the genus Deania were not different based on 15N or 13C, so they had similar diets. The 13C signatures indicated that M. capensis and sharks fed on prey derived from similar basal resources. However, there was a significant difference in 13C between M. paradoxus and all other species examined, suggesting that they occupied different feeding niches. Isotope-based populationmetrics showed narrower trophic ranges in sharks than M. capensis. Carbon and nitrogen ranges indicated that hake fed on a more diverse pool of carbon sources and had generally more enhanced trophic diversity in their feeding patterns than sharks. Among the species considered, C. squamosus occupied a unique isotopic space. Our results supported the hypothesis there are trophic overlaps among these species, but some interesting differentiation was revealed.
- Format
- 7 pages, pdf
- Language
- English
- Relation
- African Zoology, Iitembu, J.A. and Richoux, N.B., 2015. Trophic relationships of hake (Merluccius capensis and M. paradoxus) and sharks (Centrophorus squamosus, Deania calcea and D. profundorum) in the Northern (Namibia) Benguela Current region. African Zoology, 50(4), pp.273-279, African Zoology volume 50 number 4 273 279 2015 2224-073X
- Rights
- Publisher
- Rights
- Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Sabinet Terms and Conditions Statement (https://www.sabinet.co.za/terms-conditions)
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Collections
Richoux, Nicole Bertine (Assoc Prof)
RU Department of Zoology and Entomology
SDG 14. Life Below Water
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