title: Spatio-temporal isotopic signatures (δ13 C and δ15 N) reveal that two sympatric West African mullet species do not feed on the same basal production sources.
abstract: Potential trophic competition between two sympatric mullet species, Mugil cephalus and Mugil curema, was explored in the hypersaline estuary of the Saloum Delta (Senegal) using δ(13) C and δ(15) N composition of muscle tissues. Between species, δ(15) N compositions were similar, suggesting a similar trophic level, while the difference in δ(13) C compositions indicated that these species did not feed from exactly the same basal production sources or at least not in the same proportions. This result provides the first evidence of isotopic niche segregation between two limno-benthophageous species belonging to the geographically widespread, and often locally abundant, Mugilidae family.
authors.affiliation: UMR 212 EME, IRD-IFREMER-UMII, Centre de Recherche Halieutique Méditerranéenne et Tropicale, Avenue Jean Monnet, 34203 Sète, France; UMR 6539 LEMAR, CNRS-UBO-IRD-IFREMER, Rue Dumont d'Urville, Pointe du Diable, Technopole Brest Iroise, 29280 Plouzané, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Le Loc'h
authors.forename: J-D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Durand
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Diop
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Panfili
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000032:analysis; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D020387:Food Chain; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes / Q000032:analysis; D054712:Salinity; D012675:Senegal; D023701:Smegmamorpha / Q000502:physiology*; D062211:Spatio-Temporal Analysis; D061350:Sympatry
chemical_list: D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes
keywords: Mugilidae; carbon isotopes; fish diet; nitrogen isotopes; trophic level