title: The significance of cephalopod beaks in marine ecology studies: Can we use beaks for DNA analyses and mercury contamination assessment?
abstract: Cephalopod beaks found in the diet of predators have been a major source of scientific information. In this study, we evaluated the usefulness of DNA and contaminants analysis (total mercury - T-Hg) in cephalopod beaks in order to assess their applicability as tools in marine ecology studies. We concluded that, when applying DNA techniques to cephalopod beaks from Antarctic squid species, when using flesh attached to those beaks, it was possible to obtain DNA and to successfully identify cephalopod species; DNA was not found on the beaks themselves. This study also showed that it is possible to obtain information on T-Hg concentrations in beaks: the T-Hg concentrations found in the beaks were 6 to 46 times lower than in the flesh of the same cephalopod species. More research on the relationships of mercury concentrations in cephalopod beaks (and other tissues), intra- and inter-specifically, are needed in the future.
authors.affiliation: MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Departamento das Ciências da Vida, Universidade de Coimbra, 3001-401 Coimbra, Portugal; British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, CB3 0ET Cambridge, UK. Electronic address: jccx@cantab.net.
authors.forename: José Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Xavier
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Education, Institute of Education and Citizenship, 3770-033 Mamarrosa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Sónia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Centre for Functional Ecology - CFE, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Sílvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Education, Institute of Education and Citizenship, 3770-033 Mamarrosa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Centre for Functional Ecology - CFE, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal; CESAM and Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cláudia Leopoldina
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Mieiro
authors.affiliation: British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, CB3 0ET Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Phil N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Trathan
authors.affiliation: MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Departamento das Ciências da Vida, Universidade de Coimbra, 3001-401 Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Sílvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lourenço
authors.affiliation: Centre for Functional Ecology - CFE, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Filipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martinho
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G2W1, Canada.
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Steinke
authors.affiliation: CESAM and Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; School of Biology, University of St Andrews, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seco
authors.affiliation: CESAM and Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Eduarda
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Centre for Functional Ecology - CFE, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pardal
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 du CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France.
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cherel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000864:Antarctic Regions; D001502:Beak / Q000737:chemistry*; D001717:Birds / Q000502:physiology; D004247:DNA; D049832:Decapodiformes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D004247:DNA; D008628:Mercury
keywords: DNA; Mercury levels; Squid beaks; Toxicology