WINTER GUT CONTENTS OF ANTARCTIC KRILL (EUPHAUSIA SUPERBA DANA) COLLECTED IN THE SOUTH GEORGIA AREA (15th Symposium on Polar Biology)

ニシノ ヤスト, NISHINO Yasuto, KAWAMURA Akito
Foregut contents of Antarctic krill Euphausia superba DANA which were collected in the South Georgia area in austral winter, July 12-August 4, 1992 were observed. A total of 130 individuals (adults: 78, subadults: 49, juveniles: 3) which were caught by krill trawling from various depths were examined in this study. The fore gut contents of the krill consisted of various fragments of crustacean zooplankton in 77 individuals out of 130 examined. Among the fragments a portion of the pereiopods of
more » ... rill was found from all specimens examined. Although the obtained materials were geographically con fined to South Georgian waters, which were free from fast ice throughout the year, the results might imply that E. superba seemed to seasonally switch their food source: E. superba demonstrated herbivorous food habits during rich phytoplankton bloom, but might change to carnivorous habits in the fall and winter. Strong cannibalistic food habits during the austral winter as found in this study are considered to be important for the population dynamics of krill.
doi:10.15094/00005219 fatcat:dsuocek54vgj3k6yr52qpzpwwq