Skip to main content

Preliminary analysis of the feeding habits of batoids from the genera Mobula and Myliobatis in Northern Peru

Javier Jesús Coasaca-Céspedes1,2, Eduardo Segura-Cobeña1,3, Rebeca Montero-Taboada4, Adriana Gonzalez-Pestana1,5, Eliana Alfaro-Córdova1,2, Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto1,2* and Jeffrey C. Mangel1,6

1ProDelphinus, José Gálvez 780-E, Lima 18, Perú
2Carrera de Biología Marina, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Biológicas, Universidad Científica del Sur, Panamericana Sur, Km 19, Lima, Perú
3Programa de Magister en Ecología Marina, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Alonso de Ribera 2850, Concepción, Chile
4School of Marine Life Science, Department Ecology, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushand Road, Shinan District, Qingdao, China
5James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
6Centre for Ecology and Conservation, School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9EZ, United Kingdom

  • *Esta dirección de correo electrónico está siendo protegida contra los robots de spam. Necesita tener JavaScript habilitado para poder verlo.

Resumen

This study provides baseline information on the feeding habits of five batoid species from the genera Mobula and Myliobatis sampled from the small-scale driftnet fishery in northern Peru. The diets of Mobula mobularMobula munkiana and Mobula thurstoni consisted mainly of euphausiids. Dietary niche breadth indicated a pelagic feeding behaviour of a specialist and a trophic level of a secondary predator for both M. mobular and M. munkiana. In contrast, Myliobatis chilensis and Myliobatis peruvianus consumed mostly gastropods and crustaceans. Dietary niche breadth indicated a feeding behaviour of a benthic specialist and a trophic level of a secondary predator for Myliobatis chilensis.

Palabras clave

Feeding habit, trophic level, niche breadth, devil rays, eagle rays