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Fine‐scale diet of the A ustralian sea lion ( N eophoca cinerea ) using DNA ‐based analysis of faeces
Author(s) -
Peters Kristian J.,
Ophelkeller Kathy,
Bott Nathan J.,
Deagle Bruce E.,
Jarman Simon N.,
Goldsworthy Simon D.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
marine ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.668
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1439-0485
pISSN - 0173-9565
DOI - 10.1111/maec.12145
Subject(s) - biology , cephalopod , predation , wrasse , zoology , fishery , environmental dna , trophic level , ecology , biodiversity , fish <actinopterygii>
We applied DNA ‐based faecal analysis to determine the diet of female A ustralian sea lions (n = 12) from two breeding colonies in S outh A ustralia. DNA dietary components of fish and cephalopods were amplified using the polymerase chain reaction and mitochondrial DNA primers targeting the short (~100 base pair) section of the 16S gene region. Prey diversity was determined by sequencing ~50 amplicons generated from clone libraries developed for each individual. Faecal DNA was also combined and cloned from multiple individuals at each colony and fish diversity determined. Diets varied between individuals and sites. Overall, DNA analysis identified a broad diversity of prey comprising 23 fish and five cephalopod taxa, including many species not previously described as prey of the Australian sea lion. Labridae (wrasse), Monacanthidae (leatherjackets) and Mullidae (goat fish) were important fish prey taxa. Commonly identified cephalopods were Octopodidae (octopus), Loliginidae (calamary squid) and Sepiidae (cuttlefish). Comparisons of fish prey diversity determined by pooling faecal DNA from several samples provided a reasonable but incomplete resemblance (55–71%) to the total fish diversity identified across individual diets at each site. Interpretation of diet based on the recovery of prey hard‐parts identified one cephalopod beak ( Octopus sp.) and one fish otolith ( Parapriacanthus elongatus ). The present study highlights the value of DNA ‐based analyses and their capabilities to enhance information of trophic interactions.