Diet and Feeding Ecology of the Whitespotted Eagle Ray (<i>Aetobatus narinari</i>) from Florida Coastal Waters Revealed via DNA Barcoding
The whitespotted eagle ray (<i>Aetobatus narinari</i>) is a highly mobile, predatory batoid distributed throughout shallow, warm–temperate to tropical Atlantic Basin waters from North Carolina to Brazil. The species’ strong, plate-like dentition facilitates the consumption of hard-shelle...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-07-01
|
| Series: | Fishes |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/8/8/388 |
| _version_ | 1797584795610382336 |
|---|---|
| author | Brianna V. Cahill Ryan J. Eckert Kim Bassos-Hull Thomas J. Ostendorf Joshua D. Voss Breanna C. DeGroot Matthew J. Ajemian |
| author_facet | Brianna V. Cahill Ryan J. Eckert Kim Bassos-Hull Thomas J. Ostendorf Joshua D. Voss Breanna C. DeGroot Matthew J. Ajemian |
| author_sort | Brianna V. Cahill |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The whitespotted eagle ray (<i>Aetobatus narinari</i>) is a highly mobile, predatory batoid distributed throughout shallow, warm–temperate to tropical Atlantic Basin waters from North Carolina to Brazil. The species’ strong, plate-like dentition facilitates the consumption of hard-shelled prey, and due to effective winnowing behavior, it is a significant challenge to identify prey based on soft tissues alone. Here, we report on the first analysis of whitespotted eagle ray diet in Florida waters using visual-based gut content analysis complemented with DNA barcoding. Gut contents were obtained via gastric lavage from 50 individuals collected in the Indian River Lagoon and off Sarasota, Florida. Of the 211 unique prey samples collected, 167 were deemed suitable for sequencing. Approximately 56.3% of samples yielded positive species matches in genetic databases. Results from the sequenced data indicate that the whitespotted eagle ray diet in Florida is mainly comprised of bivalves and gastropods, with variable inclusion of crustaceans. Despite positive identification of venerid clams, there was no evidence for the consumption of hard clams (<i>Mercenaria</i> spp.), a major shellfish aquaculture and restoration species in Florida. Such wide-ranging prey species from various trophic guilds and locations highlight the whitespotted eagle ray’s diverse role in the top-down regulation of coastal benthic communities. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:57:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e23026d7c30e421abf1f7c5ae56ca6c8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2410-3888 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:57:46Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fishes |
| spelling | doaj.art-e23026d7c30e421abf1f7c5ae56ca6c82023-11-19T01:03:52ZengMDPI AGFishes2410-38882023-07-018838810.3390/fishes8080388Diet and Feeding Ecology of the Whitespotted Eagle Ray (<i>Aetobatus narinari</i>) from Florida Coastal Waters Revealed via DNA BarcodingBrianna V. Cahill0Ryan J. Eckert1Kim Bassos-Hull2Thomas J. Ostendorf3Joshua D. Voss4Breanna C. DeGroot5Matthew J. Ajemian6Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, 5600 US 1, Fort Pierce, FL 34946, USAHarbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, 5600 US 1, Fort Pierce, FL 34946, USAMote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, FL 34236, USAHarbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, 5600 US 1, Fort Pierce, FL 34946, USAHarbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, 5600 US 1, Fort Pierce, FL 34946, USAHarbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, 5600 US 1, Fort Pierce, FL 34946, USAHarbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, 5600 US 1, Fort Pierce, FL 34946, USAThe whitespotted eagle ray (<i>Aetobatus narinari</i>) is a highly mobile, predatory batoid distributed throughout shallow, warm–temperate to tropical Atlantic Basin waters from North Carolina to Brazil. The species’ strong, plate-like dentition facilitates the consumption of hard-shelled prey, and due to effective winnowing behavior, it is a significant challenge to identify prey based on soft tissues alone. Here, we report on the first analysis of whitespotted eagle ray diet in Florida waters using visual-based gut content analysis complemented with DNA barcoding. Gut contents were obtained via gastric lavage from 50 individuals collected in the Indian River Lagoon and off Sarasota, Florida. Of the 211 unique prey samples collected, 167 were deemed suitable for sequencing. Approximately 56.3% of samples yielded positive species matches in genetic databases. Results from the sequenced data indicate that the whitespotted eagle ray diet in Florida is mainly comprised of bivalves and gastropods, with variable inclusion of crustaceans. Despite positive identification of venerid clams, there was no evidence for the consumption of hard clams (<i>Mercenaria</i> spp.), a major shellfish aquaculture and restoration species in Florida. Such wide-ranging prey species from various trophic guilds and locations highlight the whitespotted eagle ray’s diverse role in the top-down regulation of coastal benthic communities.https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/8/8/388batoidinvertivoregastric lavagedurophagy |
| spellingShingle | Brianna V. Cahill Ryan J. Eckert Kim Bassos-Hull Thomas J. Ostendorf Joshua D. Voss Breanna C. DeGroot Matthew J. Ajemian Diet and Feeding Ecology of the Whitespotted Eagle Ray (<i>Aetobatus narinari</i>) from Florida Coastal Waters Revealed via DNA Barcoding Fishes batoid invertivore gastric lavage durophagy |
| title | Diet and Feeding Ecology of the Whitespotted Eagle Ray (<i>Aetobatus narinari</i>) from Florida Coastal Waters Revealed via DNA Barcoding |
| title_full | Diet and Feeding Ecology of the Whitespotted Eagle Ray (<i>Aetobatus narinari</i>) from Florida Coastal Waters Revealed via DNA Barcoding |
| title_fullStr | Diet and Feeding Ecology of the Whitespotted Eagle Ray (<i>Aetobatus narinari</i>) from Florida Coastal Waters Revealed via DNA Barcoding |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diet and Feeding Ecology of the Whitespotted Eagle Ray (<i>Aetobatus narinari</i>) from Florida Coastal Waters Revealed via DNA Barcoding |
| title_short | Diet and Feeding Ecology of the Whitespotted Eagle Ray (<i>Aetobatus narinari</i>) from Florida Coastal Waters Revealed via DNA Barcoding |
| title_sort | diet and feeding ecology of the whitespotted eagle ray i aetobatus narinari i from florida coastal waters revealed via dna barcoding |
| topic | batoid invertivore gastric lavage durophagy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/8/8/388 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT briannavcahill dietandfeedingecologyofthewhitespottedeaglerayiaetobatusnarinariifromfloridacoastalwatersrevealedviadnabarcoding AT ryanjeckert dietandfeedingecologyofthewhitespottedeaglerayiaetobatusnarinariifromfloridacoastalwatersrevealedviadnabarcoding AT kimbassoshull dietandfeedingecologyofthewhitespottedeaglerayiaetobatusnarinariifromfloridacoastalwatersrevealedviadnabarcoding AT thomasjostendorf dietandfeedingecologyofthewhitespottedeaglerayiaetobatusnarinariifromfloridacoastalwatersrevealedviadnabarcoding AT joshuadvoss dietandfeedingecologyofthewhitespottedeaglerayiaetobatusnarinariifromfloridacoastalwatersrevealedviadnabarcoding AT breannacdegroot dietandfeedingecologyofthewhitespottedeaglerayiaetobatusnarinariifromfloridacoastalwatersrevealedviadnabarcoding AT matthewjajemian dietandfeedingecologyofthewhitespottedeaglerayiaetobatusnarinariifromfloridacoastalwatersrevealedviadnabarcoding |