Stomach contents of English Channel cetaceans stranded on the coast of Normandy

During 1998–2003 stomach contents of 47 marine mammals stranded on the coast of Normandy were analysed. The animals were first examined by a veterinary network and stomach contents were analysed at the University of Caen. The sample comprised: 26 common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), four bottlenose...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2005-12, Vol.85 (6), p.1539-1546
Main Authors: De Pierrepont, J.F., Dubois, B., Desormonts, S., Santos, M.B., Robin, J.P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Aquatic mammals
Autoecology
Balaenoptera
Biological and medical sciences
Cetacea
Delphinus delphis
Diet
Dolphins & porpoises
Food
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Globicephala
Halichoerus grypus
Harbors
Lagenorhynchus albirostris
Mammalia
Marine
Marine mammals
Otoliths
Phocoena
Predation
Research Article
Scomber scombrus
Seals
Stomach
Trisopterus
Tursiops truncatus
Vertebrata
Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution
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Summary:During 1998–2003 stomach contents of 47 marine mammals stranded on the coast of Normandy were analysed. The animals were first examined by a veterinary network and stomach contents were analysed at the University of Caen. The sample comprised: 26 common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), four bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), seven harbour porpoises (Phocoena phoecoena), five grey seals (Halichoerus grypus), two long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas), one white beaked dolphin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris), one minke whale (Balaenoptera acurostrata) and one striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba). The identification of food items was done using hard parts (i.e. fish otoliths and cephalopod beaks). Diet indices were computed including prey frequency and percentage by number. Common dolphins ate mainly gadoid fish (Trisopterus sp.), gobies and mackerel (Scomber scombrus). Cephalopods occurred in small numbers in the diet and commercially important species (cuttlefish and common squid) were scarce.
ISSN:0025-3154
1469-7769
DOI:10.1017/S0025315405012762