著者

眞子 裕友 小針 統 久米 元 兵藤 不二夫 野口 真希 一宮 睦雄 小森田 智大 河邊 玲 中村 乙水 米山 和良 土田 洋之

出版者

日本プランクトン学会

雑誌

日本プランクトン学会報 (ISSN:03878961)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.69, no.1, pp.18-24, 2022-02-25 (Released:2022-03-06)

参考文献数

38

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The prey of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) visiting the northern Satsunan area (western North Pacific Ocean) was investigated using microscopic and metabarcoding analysis of their faecal pellets. The stable isotope ratios of the dorsal fin and faecal pellets from the whale sharks were compared with those of their potential prey (plankton and fish larvae). Microscopic analysis identified protozoans (foraminifera) and metazoans (copepods, ostracods, and amphipods) but unclassified material was predominant in their faecal pellets. Metabarcoding analysis detected metazoans in the faecal pellets, represented by copepods, ostracods, amphipods, hydrozoans, and tunicates. Comparison of stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) from their dorsal fin and faecal pellets with those of zooplankton in the northern Satsunan area showed different feeding histories for the whale sharks appearing in the northern Satsunan area.