Abstract

LABBE F, Johnny  and  M. ARANA, Patricio. Trophic spectrum of orange roughy, Hoplostethus atlanticus (Pisces: Trachichthyidae), in the Juan Fernandez archipelago, Chile. Rev. biol. mar. oceanogr. [online]. 2001, vol.36, n.1, pp. 75-82. ISSN 0718-1957.  doi: 10.4067/S0718-19572001000100007.

Stomach content analysis of 210 orange roughy (Hoplostethus atlanticus) caught over the submarine chain of the Juan Fernandez archipelago (33º-34ºS; 76º-78ºW) between August 7-25, 1999. Specimens lengths were between 40 and 53 cm fork length. From all examined specimens, 8.6% had full stomachs, 29.0% contained some sort of food and 62.4% had empty stomachs. The food was mainly composed by crustaceans, fishes and cephalopods, Lampanyctus achirus being the most important prey by frequency and weight, while Oplophorus novaezeelandiae was the most abundant. The latter preys on mesopelagic species, mainly over L. achirus, Stomias boa boa, O. novaezeelandiae and Histioteuthis spp., which is in agreement with results from other places in the world.

Keywords : orange roughy; feeding; stomach content; southwestern Pacific.