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title: "Short-finned Squid in the diets of South Atlantic albatrosses"
---

# Short-finned Squid in the diets of South Atlantic albatrosses

José Seco (Department of Life Sciences, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre ([MARE](http://www.uc.pt/en/iii/linksMembros/IMAR-s)), University of Coimbra, Portugal) and colleagues have published in the [*Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom*](http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=MBI)on Short-finned Squid *Illex argentinus* taken by Grey-headed *Thalassarche chrysostoma*, Black-browed *T. melanophris* and Wandering *Diomedea exulans* Albatrosses.

 The paper’s abstract follows:

 “The diets of marine predators are a potential source of information about range shifts in their prey.  For example, the short-finned squid *Illex argentinus*, a commercially fished species on the Patagonian Shelf in the South Atlantic, has been reported in the diet of grey-headed, *Thalassarche chrysostoma*; black-browed, *T. melanophris*; and wandering, *Diomedea exulans*, albatrosses breeding at Bird Island, South Georgia (54°S 28°W) in the Southern Ocean.  Tracking data suggest that these birds may feed on *I. argentinus* while foraging in Southern Ocean waters during their breeding season.  This led to the hypothesis that *I. argentinus* may occur south of the Antarctic Polar Front.  To test this hypothesis, we used stable isotope analyses to assess the origin of *I. argentinus*.  We compared *I. argentinus* beaks from the diets of the three albatross species with beaks of cephalopod species endemic to the Patagonian Shelf and others from the Southern Ocean.  Our results show that *I. argentinus* from the diet of albatrosses at Bird Island have δ13C values in the range −18.77 to −15.28‰.  This is consistent with δ13C values for *Octopus tehuelchus*, a typical species from the Patagonian Shelf. In contrast, *Alluroteuthis antarcticus*, a Southern Ocean squid, has typically Antarctic δ13C in the range −25.46 to −18.61‰.  This suggests that *I. argentinus* originated from warmer waters of the Patagonian Shelf region.  It is more likely that the albatross species obtained I. argentinus by foraging in the Patagonian Shelf region than that *I. argentinus* naturally occurs south of the Antarctic Polar Front.”

 ![](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/G/GHA_Steeple_Jason_Micky_Reeves.jpg) 

 Grey-headed Albatross, photograph by Mickey Reeves

 **Reference:**

 Seco, J., Daneria, G.A., Ceia, F,R. Vieira, R.P.,  Hill, S.J. & Xavier, J.C. 2015.  Distribution of short-finned squid*Illex argentinus *(Cephalopoda: Ommastrephidae) inferred from the diets of Southern Ocean albatrosses using stable isotope analyses.  [*Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom* DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0025315415000752](http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=9759868&fileId=S0025315415000752).

 *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 04 July 2015*