Dear Marmamers: a new scientific contribution on Guiana dolphins is available (abstract below). Now, we present new food items and a knowledge review regarding Sotalia guianensis in southeastern Brazil. As you will find in the Ackowledgements, this manuscriopt was dedicated to the memory of Dr Nelio Barros, who left an important contribution to the knowledge about cetacean trophic interactions.
Lopes, X.M.; da Silva, E.; Bassoi, M.; dos Santos, R.A.; and Santos, M.C. de O. 2012. Feeding habits of Guiana dolphins, Sotalia guianensis, from southeastern Brazil: new items and a knowledge review. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 92: 1723-1733. Abstract: This study presents new information on feeding habits of Guiana dolphins, Sotalia guianensis, in south-eastern Brazil, together with new regression equations to evaluate the weight and length of fish from otoliths, showing an overview on the knowledge about this species’ diet in this area. Eighteen stomach contents had been analysed and compared to 180 samples collected in another eight feeding studies. The analysed specimens were either incidentally caught in gillnets used in coastal waters by the fleet based in the Cananeia main harbour (25o00 S 47o55 W), south of Sao Paulo State, or found dead in inner waters of the Cananeia estuary between 2003 and 2009. Based on the index of relative importance analysis, the most important fish species were the banded croaker, Paralonchurus brasiliensis. Doryteuthis plei was the most representative cephalopod species. Stellifer rastrifer was the most important fish species observed in dolphins in inner estuarine waters and P. brasiliensis in recovered dolphins from coastal waters. Loliguncula brevis is the only cephalopod species reported from dolphins found in inner estuarine waters up to date. Doryteuthis plei was the most important cephalopod species observed in coastal dolphins. When considering other feeding studies, the most representative fish family in the diet of S. guianensis was Sciaenidae, which is mainly represented by demersal fishes. The main preys of S. guianensis are abundant in the studied areas, which may indicate an opportunistic feeding habit. The majority of them are not the most important target species by the commercial fishery in south-eastern Brazil. Pdf file available at: [email protected] Cheers, Marcos Santos -- Dr. Marcos Cesar de Oliveira Santos Laboratorio de Biologia da Conservacao de Mamiferos Aquaticos Departamento de Oceanografia Biologica, Instituto Oceanografico, Universidade de Sao Paulo Praca do Oceanografico, 191, Sala 145-A Butanta, Sao Paulo, SP, Brasil 05508-120
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