Unexpected headless and tailless fish in the stomach content of shortfin mako Isurus oxyrinchus

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 9; no. 2; p. e88488
• Main Authors: Biton Porsmoguer, Sebastián, Bănaru, Daniela, Béarez, Philippe, Dekeyser, Ivan, Merchán Fornelino, Manuel, Boudouresque, Charles F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 12-02-2014; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Analysis; Animal biology; Animals; Biology; Bones; Carcharhinus plumbeus; Digestion - physiology; Endangered & extinct species; Feeding Behavior; Female; Fish; Fishes; Gastrointestinal Contents; Ingestion; Isurus; Isurus oxyrinchus; Life Sciences; Linings; Male; Prey; Prionace glauca; Sharks; Spain; Stomach; Vertebrate Zoology; Wildlife conservation; Spain; Stomach; Lens (anatomy); Vertebrae; Eyes; Sharks; Predation; Digestion; Trophic interactions
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088488

The stomach content of 113 individuals of shortfin mako Isurus oxyrinchus was analyzed. Individuals were sampled at landing in Vigo (Spain) and captured by sea-surface long-liners in the vicinity of the Azores Archipelago and between Azores and the Iberian Peninsula, in March and October 2012, and March 2013. Teleosts constituted the dominant item, mainly Atlantic saury Scomberesox saurus (87% of teleost prey). Among them, 94% were deprived of both head and the caudal fin, while the flesh and bones of the body were preserved. The presence of eye's lenses, the number of which was consistent with the number of fish remains, likely rules out the elimination of the heads before ingestion. There is no obvious explanation for this unexpected and unrecorded pattern of digestion.