The diet and trophic ecology of anglerfish Lophius piscatorius at the Shetland Islands, UK

The diet of anglerfish (Lophius piscatorius), based on the analysis of stomach contents, was investigated in the Shetland Islands. Samples were obtained during trawling for sandeel (Ammodytidae species) and demersal trawling when mainly whitefish (gadoids) are targeted. This allowed the diets of sam...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2005-04, Vol.85 (2), p.419-424
Main Authors: Laurenson, C.H., Priede, I.G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agnatha. Pisces
Ammodytes marinus
Ammodytidae
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Biological and medical sciences
Diet
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Islands
Lophius piscatorius
Niche breadth
Predation
Prey
Research Article
Sea water ecosystems
Stomach
Synecology
Trawling
Trisopterus esmarkii
Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution
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Summary:The diet of anglerfish (Lophius piscatorius), based on the analysis of stomach contents, was investigated in the Shetland Islands. Samples were obtained during trawling for sandeel (Ammodytidae species) and demersal trawling when mainly whitefish (gadoids) are targeted. This allowed the diets of samples collected from different areas and at different times to be compared. The diets in different length groups were also compared and niche breadth investigated. A wide range of prey types, mainly fish, were recorded but the main prey was Norway pout (Trisopterus esmarkii) and lesser sandeel (Ammodytes marinus). Diet composition varied seasonally. In samples collected during whitefish trawling the occurrence of empty stomachs decreased from the first to the third quarters and generally increased with increasing anglerfish size. Empty stomachs occurred less frequently in samples collected from areas where sandeel fishing occurred compared to areas where whitefish trawling occurred.
ISSN:0025-3154
1469-7769
DOI:10.1017/S0025315405011355h