Vázquez-Moreno, R.A., A., Tripp-Valdez, F., Galván-Magaña, F.R., Elorriaga-Verplancken, A.P., Klimley & A., Delgado-Huertas (2025). Trophic ecology of banded guitar ray Zapteryx exasperata (Jordan & Gilbert, 1880) during El Niño and “The Blob” in the Mexican Pacific. Environmental Biology of Fishes. 108: 1717–1737. DOI: 10.1007/s10641-025-01756-x.
Rubén Antonio Vázquez-Moreno 1, Arturo Tripp-Valdez 1, Felipe Galván-Magaña 1, Fernando R. Elorriaga-Verplancken 1, A. Peter Klimley 2 y Antonio Delgado-Huertas 3
The banded guitar ray Zapteryx exasperata is a commercially important batoid in the northwest of Mexico. Little is known about Z. exasperata’s trophic ecology, and its importance within the food web is thus unknown. The objective of this study was to describe the trophic ecology of Z. exasperata based upon the analysis of stomach contents and stable isotopes of C and N on the western coast of Baja California Sur. Seasonal sampling was performed from 2012 to 2017 to achieve this objective. In total, 346 stomachs were analyzed. The total length range of Z. exasperata was 49 to 105 cm. A total of 32 prey items were identified, the most important being the pelagic red crab Grimothea planipes (26.9%), penaeid shrimp (8.5%), the toadfish Porichthys notatus (7%), and Porichthys spp. (5%). Crustacean and fish remains represented 22.7% of the total. No significant differences were found in the stomach contents of the different sexes or stages of maturity. A total of 326 muscle tissue samples of Z. exasperata and 27 of prey were analyzed. Average d13C (-17.14‰) and d15N (18.01‰) values were calculated for Z. exasperata, with significant differences in d15N between sexes and seasons. These differences reflected feeding in the cold season. During this season, Z. exasperata consumed mostly crustaceans. During other seasons, individuals consumed fish. Through SIBER analysis, similar isotopic niches were found in all categories (sex, stages of maturity, or seasons), which indicates a trophic overlap in the different categories analyzed. The variance of d15N values indicates that the species is a specialist predator, except during the juvenile stage when it is a generalist. Zapteryx exasperata has a trophic position of 3.8. Mixing model analysis indicates that penaeid shrimp and Grimothea planipes were the most frequently consumed prey by the predator.
Palabras clave: Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Zoology; Animal Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography; Environment, general; Nature Conservation
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