Journal
JOURNAL OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM
Volume 93, Issue 8, Pages 2217-2224Publisher
CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1017/S0025315413000957
Keywords
artisanal fishing; sharks; opportunistic predator; trophic position; diet breadth; Gulf of California; Mexico
Categories
Funding
- Programa de Becas Posdoctorales en la UNAM
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnologia (ICMyL)
- Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM)
- IPN
- CONACYT
- PIFI
- EDI
- COFAA-IPN
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The Pacific sharpnose shark Rhizoprionodon longurio is caught seasonally by inshore artisanal fisheries in the Mexican Pacific. Our study focuses on the feeding ecology of this shark species in the southern Gulf of California. The prey species obtained from stomach contents were identified and quantified, and variations between sexes and maturity stages were determined. A total of 98 stomachs were analysed during two periods (2000-2001 and 2003-2004); 64% of stomachs contained food. The trophic spectrum was composed of four cephalopod species, three crustacean species, and 13 pelagic and benthic fish species. According to the index of relative importance (%IRI), the fish Echiophis brunneus (IRI = 14.4%), Opisthopterus dovii (IRI = 12.2%) and Scomber japonicus (IRI = 9.6%) were the main prey items. Based on diversity values, IRI values and diet breadth, R. longurio is an opportunistic predator. The trophic position of R. longurio was above four in all categories, which indicates that this shark is a tertiary consumer.
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