Interspecific and intraspecific comparison of the isotopic niche of shrimps targets of fishing in south-eastern Brazil

• Published in: Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom Vol. 102; no. 5; pp. 338 - 344
• Main Authors: Ferreira, Keltony de Aquino, Braga, Adriane Araújo, Di Beneditto, Ana Paula Madeira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.08.2022
• Subjects: Carbon; Coexistence; Consumers; Enrichment; Females; Fisheries; Fishing; Fishing grounds; Fishing zones; Habitats; Hypotheses; Isotopes; Juveniles; Males; Marine crustaceans; Niches; Nitrogen; Ovaries; Partitioning; Penaeidae; Shellfish; Shrimps; Brazil; Rio de Janeiro Brazil; stable isotopes; trophic partitioning; Atlantic Ocean; penaeid
• ISSN: 0025-3154; 1469-7769
• DOI: 10.1017/S0025315422000558

The study compares the isotopic niche (δ13C–δ15N) of three species of penaeid shrimps (Xiphopenaeus kroyeri, Artemesia longinaris and Litopenaeus schmitti) that are targets of fishing in south-eastern Brazil. The two hypotheses raised are based on the niche theory, in which the coexistence between organisms that have similar dietary demands is possible due to trophic partitioning: (i) shrimp species that share the habitat have segregated isotopic niches; and (ii) stages of maturity and genders vary with the trophic habitat (δ13C) and/or trophic position (δ15N). In multispecific fishing grounds, the isotopic niches of the shrimp species were segregated or had low overlap, indicating trophic partitioning. The intraspecific comparison of δ13C and δ15N showed a similar trend in all species. For δ13C, the values were more enriched in adult individuals than in juveniles, but similar between males and females. For δ15N, adult individuals also had more enriched values, and males were more enriched than females. The results confirm the hypotheses raised, and the assumptions of niche theory apply to these penaeid shrimps.