Fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) foraging on daytime surface swarms of the euphausiid Nyctiphanes simplex in Ballenas Channel, Gulf of California, Mexico

Guevara, P Paloma Ladrón de; Lavaniegos, Bertha E.; Heckel, Gisela

doi:10.1644/07-mamm-a-067r2.1

Cited by 19 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…The neritic affinity of N. simplex can influence the distribution patterns of their predators like the fin whale Balaenoptera physalus and the blue whale B. musculus. Electronic tagging indicates that fin whales in the Gulf of California regularly move distances up to 400 km to locate euphausiid swarms and forage in localized areas with relatively high densities of prey (Urbán et al 2005, Ladrón de Guevara et al 2008, and blue whales migrate annually from Californian waters to the Gulf of California in order to feed on dense krill swarms (Gendron 1992). The consumption rates and population sizes of these and other predators of euphausiids (e.g.…”

Section: Nyctiphanes Simplex Biomass and Biomass Production Rates In mentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal growth, molt, and egg production rates of Nyctiphanes simplex (Crustacea: Euphausiacea) juveniles and adults in the Gulf of California

Gutiérrez¹,

Martínez-Gómez²,

Robinson³

2012

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Section: Nyctiphanes Simplex Biomass and Biomass Production Rates In mentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal growth, molt, and egg production rates of Nyctiphanes simplex (Crustacea: Euphausiacea) juveniles and adults in the Gulf of California

Gutiérrez¹,

Martínez-Gómez²,

Robinson³

2012

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…Whale sharks have been observed feeding on euphausiids in the GC (Ketchum-Mejía 2003). In BLA, the abundance of euphausiids was low compared to Ballenas Channel, where the fin whale Balaenoptera physalus forages on swarms of euphausiids (Ladrón de Guevara et al 2008). Meroplankton may also be important in the diet of whale sharks (e.g., fish eggs rich in protein and lipids).…”

Section: Copépodos Como Alimento Del Tiburón Ballenamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hay registros de tiburón ballena alimentándose de eufáusidos en el GC (KetchumMejía 2003). En esta investigación, la abundancia de eufáus-idos fue baja en BLA comparada con el canal de Ballenas, donde enjambres de eufáusidos son forrajeados por el rorcual común Balaenoptera physalus (Ladrón de Guevara et al 2008). El meroplancton también podría ser importante en la dieta del tiburón, como por ejemplo los huevos de peces que son ricos en proteínas y lípidos.…”

Section: Copépodos Como Alimento Del Tiburón Ballenaunclassified

Seasonal variability of copepods and cladocerans in Bahía de los Ángeles (Gulf of California) and importance of Acartia clausi as food for whale sharks

Lavaniegos

Heckel

2011

Cienc. Mar.

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ABSTRACT. Bahía de los Ángeles is located on the Baja Californian coast of the Gulf of California, adjacent to Ballenas Channel. The bay receives a dynamic tidal influence from the channel but is protected by numerous islands. It is a highly productive bay that harbors a high diversity of species, some of them protected such as the whale shark (Rhincodon typus). This study describes the seasonal variability of major zooplankton taxa and copepod and cladoceran species between , 99.5% copepods) came from a sample collected south of Punta Arena, where two whale sharks were observed foraging. The shift in species composition during summer coincides with the predominance of easterly winds described in the literature inducing a reversed circulation and a probable transport of tropical species into the bay during summer and autumn (Centropages furcatus, Subeucalanus subcrassus, Acrocalanus longicornis, Temora discaudata, and Corycaeus amazonicus).Key words: zooplankton, copepods, cladocerans, Acartia clausi, Rhincodon typus. RESUMEN. Bahía de los Ángeles se localiza en la costa baja californiana del golfo de California, adyacente al Canal de Ballenas. La bahía recibe de éste una influencia dinámica de la marea y al mismo tiempo está protegida por numerosas islas. Es una bahía muy productiva y alberga una alta diversidad de especies, algunas de ellas protegidas como el tiburón ballena (Rhincodon typus). Este estudio describe la variación estacional de los grandes taxones de zooplancton y especies de copépodos y cladóceros entre mayo de 2003 y octubre de 2004. Los copépodos fueron dominantes durante el invierno y la primavera (83-99% de la abundancia del zooplancton), y experimentaron un dramático descenso en el otoño de 2003 (37-66%) y el verano de 2004 (25-45%). Los cladóceros fueron el segundo grupo más abundante, representado por Pseudevadne tergestina y Penilia avirostris. La primera especie se presentó todo el año con abundancia baja en invierno, mientras que la segunda se presentó sólo en verano y otoño. Otros taxones del holozooplancton contribuyeron con menos del 15% de la abundancia en la mayoría de las muestras, mientras que el merozooplancton con menos del 8%. No obstante, tanto en octubre de 2003 como de 2004 hubo una abundancia notable de equinodermos y otras larvas que contrasta con su escasez en otras temporadas. En el invierno de 2004 dominaron especies de copépodos templado-subtropicales como Calanus pacificus y Acartia tonsa. La alta abundancia de copépodos durante la primavera obedeció a Acartia clausi (mediana = 28,034 ind m -3 ). Sin embargo, la abundancia máxima de zooplancton (40,468 ind m -3 , 99.5% copépodos) provino de una muestra recolectada al sur de punta Arena, donde se avistaron dos tiburones ballena alimentándose. El cambio en composición de especies durante el verano coincidió con la predominancia de los vientos del este, descritos en la literatura, que inducen una reversión en la circulación y un probable acarreo de especies tropicales (Centropages furcatus, Subeucalanus subcr...

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“…Nyctiphanes simplex forms dense swarms that attract many predators, some of them are highly specialized and feed exclusively on euphausiids (stenophagous), like blue and fin whales, mantas, and whale sharks (Gendron, 1992;Ladró n de Guevara et al, 2008). Its seasonal distribution and abundance have been studied along the west coast of the Baja California Peninsula (Brinton, 1962;Lavaniegos, 1995Lavaniegos, , 1996Gó mezGutié rrez, 1995Gó mez-Gutié rrez et al, 1995) and the Gulf of California (Brinton and Townsend, 1980;De Silva-Dá vila et al, 2002;Gendron, 1992;Lavaniegos, 1987Lavaniegos, , 1988Lavaniegos et al, 1989) mostly using vertically integrated oblique bongo net tows.…”

Section: Article In Pressmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, in the summer, vertical movement is restricted by a seasonal thermocline within the first 50 m and a shallower low oxygen layer at $ 90 m. A similar change in vertical movement was observed in Euphausia pacifica populations near northeastern Japan, where this species avoided near-surface waters when temperature were high (Endo and Yamano, 2006;Iguchi et al, 1993). Gendron (1992) reported that N. simplex usually form reproductive swarms at the surface in spring (March-April) southwest of the Gulf (24-261N), but at Ballenas Channel (291N), the year-round colder region of the gulf, N. simplex form surface swarms from March to early August, being almost absent from October to November (Ladró n de Guevara et al, 2008). We confirmed these observations, accounting for these events to times when the water was cold and the mixed layer was thick, as occurred during January 2007.…”

Section: Horizontal and Vertical Distribution Of Nyctiphanes Simplex mentioning

confidence: 99%

Biology of the subtropical sac-spawning euphausiid Nyctiphanes simplex in the northwestern seas of Mexico: Vertical and horizontal distribution patterns and seasonal variability of brood size

Gómez‐Gutiérrez

Tremblay

Martínez-Gómez

et al. 2010

Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography

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a b s t r a c tVertical and horizontal distributions of the subtropical euphausiid juvenile and adult Nyctiphanes simplex were mapped from samples collected during winter and summer 2007 in the Gulf of California, Mexico. During winter, wide-ranging high densities occurred in most of the Gulf of California. Densities decreased considerably during summer, with only at few locations having high densities. N. simplex made short daily vertical migrations of o 150 m with pronounced vertical seasonal ontogenetic segregation. In winter, most life stages, particularly gravid and ovigerous females, were found in the top 100 m at night, with temperatures o 17 1C throughout the normal, cold, well-mixed water column. During summer, a seasonal thermocline at $ 50 m formed with temperatures between 22-29 1C above the thermocline. Reproductive females and males were found below the thermocline at 450 m, clearly avoiding layers with temperatures 4 20 1C. In both seasons, N. simplex occurred above the low-oxygen layer ( o 1.5 ml l À 1 ), which occurred at 150 m during winter and 90 m during summer. In summer, this layer extended farther north and into shallower water columns than during winter. The low-oxygen layer acts as the bottom limit of vertical distribution and horizontal distribution is limited at the southern part of the gulf to temperatures 423 1C. Seasonal brood size and reproductive effort were estimated for both sides of the Baja California Peninsula under ship board experiments as a proxy of the relative effect of seasonal environmental conditions for euphausiid reproduction. Experiments were done during March, July, and December 2004 at the entrance to Bahía Magdalena and its westward continental shelf and in November 2005 and January and July 2007 in the Gulf of California. Contrary to broadcast-spawning euphausiids, N. simplex, a sac-spawning euphausiid, has a significant association of the brood size as a function of the total length of females. N. simplex produces an average brood of 52 eggs female -1 (range 5-116 eggs female -1 ) with a estimated total fecundity of 936 eggs female -1 in a life span (360-1337 eggs female -1

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Fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) foraging on daytime surface swarms of the euphausiid Nyctiphanes simplex in Ballenas Channel, Gulf of California, Mexico

Cited by 19 publications

References 12 publications

Seasonal growth, molt, and egg production rates of Nyctiphanes simplex (Crustacea: Euphausiacea) juveniles and adults in the Gulf of California

Seasonal growth, molt, and egg production rates of Nyctiphanes simplex (Crustacea: Euphausiacea) juveniles and adults in the Gulf of California

Seasonal variability of copepods and cladocerans in Bahía de los Ángeles (Gulf of California) and importance of Acartia clausi as food for whale sharks

Biology of the subtropical sac-spawning euphausiid Nyctiphanes simplex in the northwestern seas of Mexico: Vertical and horizontal distribution patterns and seasonal variability of brood size

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