RT journal article
T1 Seasonal feeding patterns of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) in the Strait of Gibraltar
A1 Varela Fuentes, José Luis
A1 Carrera, Irene
A1 Medina Guerrero, Antonio
A2 Biología
AB The Strait of Gibraltar (SoG) houses a large diversity of marine species including large pelagic animals that use this area as permanent or temporary habitat. In particular, the SoG is home to a population of adult and sub-adult Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) that occurs there for most of the year. To gain further insight into the life history of this ABFT population, seasonal feeding patterns were investigated combining stomach content analysis (SCA) and stable isotopes analysis (SIA) of muscle and liver tissues. Our results reveal seasonal variations in feeding patterns, which are evidenced by a significant shift in the diet composition and the highest food consumption rates that take place in spring, prior to the spawning season. These changes in feeding habits are consistent with the varying energetic needs along the species’ annual biological cycle. The present observations confirm the SoG as an important foraging ground for ABFT resident populations and may have further implications for the management of the resource.
PB Elsevier
SN 1879-0291
YR 2020
FD 2020
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/36287
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/36287
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 13-nov-2026