Intraspecific variation in the feeding habits of short-finned pilot whales based on blubber fatty acid profiles.

Understanding trophic interactions in deep-sea ecosystems is challenging and still largely unexplored. Here, fatty acid (FA) profiles were used as biochemical tracers to explore intraspecific feeding specialization in a deep-diving apex predator. The FA profiles of free-ranging short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus) biopsies from two archipelagos (Canary Islands, n = 30; Madeira Island, n = 25) of the Macaronesia biogeographic region were determined to infer the dietary preferences, ecological adaptations, and population dynamics, considering geographic location, sex, and residency patterns (HIA: highly island-associated vs.

Isotope-based inferences of the trophic niche of short-finned pilot whales in the Webbnesia.

Knowledge of predator-prey interactions is key in ecological studies and understanding ecosystem function, yet this is still poorly explored in the deep-sea environment. Carbon (δC: C/C) and nitrogen (δN: N/N) stable isotope ratios of a deep-diving species, the short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus), were used to explore knowledge gaps on its ecological niche and foraging habitats in the Webbnesia marine ecoregion (Tenerife Island, n = 27 animals vs. Madeira, n = 31; 500 km apart) where animals display distinct levels of site fidelity.

Phthalates and fatty acid markers in free-ranging cetaceans from an insular oceanic region: Ecological niches as drivers of contamination.

Plastic additives, such as phthalates, are ubiquitous contaminants that can have detrimental impacts on marine organisms and overall ecosystems' health. Valuable information about the status and resilience of marine ecosystems can be obtained through the monitoring of key indicator species, such as cetaceans. In this study, fatty acid profiles and phthalates were examined in blubber biopsies of free-ranging individuals from two delphinid species (short-finned pilot whale - Globicephala macrorhynchus, n = 45; common bottlenose dolphin - Tursiops truncatus, n = 39) off Madeira Island (NE Atlantic).