Rev. biol. mar. oceanogr. 49(2): 393-400

Research Note

Diet composition of franciscana dolphin Pontoporia blainvillei from southern Buenos Aires, Argentina and its interaction with fisheries

María Natalia Paso-Viola^1,3, Pablo Denuncio², María Fernanda Negri³, Diego Rodríguez², Ricardo Bastida² and Humberto Luis Cappozzo^1,4

¹Laboratorio de Ecología, Comportamiento y Mamíferos Marinos, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ‘Bernardino Rivadavia’ (MACN-CONICET), Av. Ángel Gallardo 470, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1405DJR, Argentina

²Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC-CONICET), Departamento de Ciencias Marinas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata,  Funes 3350, Mar del Plata B7602AYL, Argentina

³Laboratorio de Ecología y Conservación de Vida Silvestre, Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CONICET). Houssay 200), Ushuaia V9410BFD, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

⁴Fundación Azara - Universidad Maimónides, Hidalgo 775, 7mo piso, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina

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The present study provides information about the diet composition of franciscana dolphin, Pontoporia blainvillei, from southern Buenos Aires coast, Argentina. From 2003 to 2011 we collected 66 franciscana dolphins that were incidentally entangled in artisanal fishing nets. We analyzed the stomach contents and estimated the prey size in order to evaluate the diet composition and the overlapping with fisheries. We identified 11 prey species in the stomach contents; only two of them were important in the diet, the striped weakfish, Cynoscion guatucupa, and the squid, Loligo sanpaulensis. Almost all the prey found in the diet of franciscana dolphins are of commercial interest. The overlapping of target species and prey that are subject to overfishing could enhance the vulnerability of franciscana by reducing food availability.

Key words:  Prey species, Pontoporia blainvillei, southern Buenos Aires, fisheries