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Trophic ecology of the chihuil sea catfish (Bagre panamensis) in the south-east Gulf of California, México

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2017

Víctor M. Muro-Torres ,
Felipe Amezcua Open the ORCID record for Felipe Amezcua [Opens in a new window] ,
Raul E. Lara-Mendoza ,
John T. Buszkiewicz  and
Felipe Amezcua-Linares
Víctor M. Muro-Torres
Affiliation:
Posgrado en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, México, DF, México
Felipe Amezcua*
Affiliation:
Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Joel Montes Camarena s/n, 82000 Mazatlan, Sinaloa, México
Raul E. Lara-Mendoza
Affiliation:
Instituto Nacional de Pesca, CRIP Cd. del Carmen, Av. Héroes del 21 de Abril No.26, Cd. Del Carmen 24100, Campeche
John T. Buszkiewicz
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Southeast Missouri State University, One University Plaza, MS 6200 Cape Girardeau, Missouri 63701, USA
Felipe Amezcua-Linares
Affiliation:
Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: F. Amezcua, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Joel Montes Camarena s/n, 82000 Mazatlan, Sinaloa, México email: famezcua@ola.icmyl.unam.mx
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Abstract

The trophic ecology of the chihuil sea catfish Bagre panamensis was studied through high-resolution variations in its feeding habits and trophic position (TP) in the SE Gulf of California, relevant to sex, size and season. The combined use of stomach content (SCA) and stable isotope analysis (SIA) allowed us to perform these analyses and also estimate the TP of its preys. Results of this study show that the chihuil sea catfish is a generalist and opportunistic omnivore predator that consumes primarily demersal fish and peneid shrimps. Its diet did not vary with climatic season (rainy or dry), size or sex. Results from the SIA indicated high plasticity in habitat use and prey species. The estimated TP value was 4.19, which indicates a tertiary consumer from the soft bottom demersal community in the SE Gulf of California, preying on lower trophic levels, which aids in understanding the species' trophic role in the food web. Because this species and its prey are important to artisanal and industrial fisheries in the Gulf of California, diet assimilation information is useful for the potential establishment of an ecosystem-based fisheries management in the area.

Keywords

food-web ecologyisotopic variabilityisotopic niche widthtrophic positionstomach content analysis
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 98 , Issue 4 , June 2018 , pp. 885 - 893
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2017 

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