Ecología de Somniosus microcephalus
| Referencia principal | Compagno, L.J.V., D.A. Ebert and M.J. Smale, 1989 |
|---|---|
| Observaciones | Reported abundant on continental and insular shelves and upper slopes down to at least 1,200 m (Ref. 247) and recorded to as deep as 2,200 m (Ref. 55584) on theh Mid-Atlantic Ridge (Ref. 119696). Epibenthic-pelagic (Ref. 58426). In the Arctic and boreal Atlantic, it occurs inshore in the intertidal and at the surface in shallow bays and river mouths during colder months, retreating to depths of 180-550 m when the temperature rises (Ref. 247). Feeds on pelagic and bottom fishes (herring, spiny eels, Atlantic salmon, Arctic char, smelt, gadoids including cod, ling, pollock and haddock, capelin, redfish, sculpins, lumpfish, Atlantic halibut, Greenland halibut, wolf-fish, redfish (Sebastes) and skates and their egg cases (Ref. 247, 5951), marine mammals, seals (common prey and possibly taken alive) and small cetaceans (most probably mostly as carrion), sea birds, squids, crabs, amphipods, marine snails, brittle stars, sea urchins, and jellyfish. Known to voraciously devour carrion and offal from whaling, sealing and fishing operations (Ref. 247, 58240). Found in varying habitats, from nearshore and upper slopes to lower shelf and slope waters. Typically in temperatures of 4.4 to 11.8°C (Ref. 117245). |
Aquatic zones / Water bodies
| Marine - Neritic | Marine - Oceanic | Brackishwater | Freshwater | |
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| Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies |
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Habitat
| Substrate | Benthic; Pelagic; |
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| Substrate Ref. | Coad, B.W. and J.D. Reist, 2004 |
| Special habitats | |
| Special habitats Ref. |
Associations
| Referencia | Scott, W.B. and M.G. Scott, 1988 |
|---|---|
| Associations | parasitism; |
| Associated with | |
| Association remarks | Petromyzon marinus was reported to have been attached to S. microcephalus (Ref. 58185). Ommatokoita elongata (copepod) is a parasite of the species, attached to the cornea of its eye. Usually only one copepod on each eye and these are highly conspicuous and may be luminescent. The relationship was speculated to be mutualistic and beneficial with the copepods serving as lures to bring preys in proximity of their host (field observations necessary to confirm this parasite's role) (Ref. 247, 5951, 117245). |
| Parasitism | outside host (attached to the skin) inside host (cornea) |
Alimentación
| Tipo De Alimentación | mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up) |
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| Feeding type Ref. | Compagno, L.J.V., D.A. Ebert and M.J. Smale, 1989 |
| Hábito De Alimentación | hunting macrofauna (predator) |
| Feeding habit Ref. |
Trophic Level(s)
| Estimation method | Muestra original | Población no pescada | Observación | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Troph | s.e. | Troph | s.e. | ||
| De la composición de la dieta | 4.22 | 0.57 | 4.14 | 0.53 | Troph of juv./adults from 1 study. |
| De tipos individuales de alimento | 4.53 | 1.00 | Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine. | ||
| Referencia | Cortés, E., 1999 | ||||