title: An assessment of the diet and trophic level of Atlantic sharpnose shark Rhizoprionodon terraenovae.
abstract: A re-assessment of the diet of the Atlantic sharpnose shark Rhizoprionodon terraenovae was conducted to provide an update on their trophic level. Rhizoprionodon terraenovae primarily consume teleosts, but previously unreported loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta were also found in the diet. Analysis suggests that calculated trophic level may depend on diet and geographic area.
authors.affiliation: NOAA Fisheries Service-Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Panama City Laboratory, 3500 Delwood Beach Road, Panama City, FL 32408, U.S.A.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Delorenzo
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Bethea
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Carlson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001267:Atlantic Ocean; D004032:Diet; D020387:Food Chain; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents; D060851:Gulf of America; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D012754:Sharks / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Atlantic Ocean; Caretta caretta; Florida; feeding ecology; food web; mesopredator; turtle