@article{PAR00026192,
  title = {{F}eeding ecology of two deep-sea skates bycaught on demersal longlines off {K}erguelen {I}slands, {S}outhern {I}ndian {O}cean},
  author = {{F}aure, {J}. and {G}asco, {N}. and {B}onillo, {C}. and {M}unaron, {J}ean-{M}arie and {C}herel, {Y}. and {P}eron, {C}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{E}lasmobranchs, and particularly skates ({R}ajiforms), are commonly caught in fisheries worldwide as targeted catch or bycatch. {T}heir life history traits make them particularly sensitive to elevated fishing mortality, especially in slow-growing deep-sea species. {K}nowledge of their ecology is key to ensure effective conservation and miti-gation measures, especially dietary references to understand trophic relationships within the ecosystem. {T}his study presents the first comprehensive description of diet composition and trophic position of two skate species ({B}athyraja eatonii and {B}. irrasa) caught as bycatch in the {F}rench {P}atagonian toothfish ({D}issostichus eleginoides) fishery in the {I}ndian sector of the {S}outhern {O}cean ({K}erguelen waters). {S}tomach content and stable isotopic analyses were performed on both species according to sex and maturity stage. {DNA} barcoding analysis was performed on prey tissue samples to identify or confirm identification of prey items found in stomachs. {O}verall, both skate species were generalist feeders with high 815{N} values. {T}he higher 815{N} values of {B}. irrasa result in a higher estimated trophic position than {B}. eatonii. {T}he diet of {B}. eatonii mainly consisted of fish, pelagic crusta-ceans and squids, while {B}. irrasa preyed more on benthic crustaceans, fish and annelids. {W}hile sex had no effect on diet and trophic position for both species, maturity stage influenced the prey composition of {B}. irrasa. {A}n-nelids and isopods were prevalent in the stomachs of immature individuals of {B}. irrasa, while mature individuals fed more on decapods and fish. {O}ur results revealed a wide range of prey items for these two generalist predators (>57 species). {U}nderstanding the diet, trophic position and trophic relationships of {B}. eatonii and {B}. irrasa is critical to a better comprehension of the impact of the exploitation of top predators on the subantarctic demersal ecosystem.},
  keywords = {{T}rophic niche ; {T}op predators ; {B}athyraja ; {S}table isotopes ; {DNA} barcoding ; {S}tomach contents ; {OCEAN} {INDIEN} ; {KERGUELEN}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{D}eep-{S}ea {R}esearch {P}art {I} : {O}ceanographic {R}esearch {P}apers},
  volume = {194},
  numero = {},
  pages = {103980 [14 ]},
  ISSN = {0967-0637},
  year = {2023},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.dsr.2023.103980},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/{PAR}00026192},
}