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Ecomorphological trends in the Artedidraconidae (Pisces: Perciformes: Notothenioidei) of the Weddell Sea

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 May 2003

ANTONI LOMBARTE ,
IGNACIO OLASO  and
ANNA BOZZANO
ANTONI LOMBARTE
Affiliation:
Institut de Ciències del Mar (CMIMA-CSIC), Passeig Marítim 37–49, Barcelona 08003, Catalonia, Spain [email protected]
IGNACIO OLASO
Affiliation:
Instituto Español de Oceanografía, PO Box 240, Santander 39080, Spain
ANNA BOZZANO
Affiliation:
Institut de Ciències del Mar (CMIMA-CSIC), Passeig Marítim 37–49, Barcelona 08003, Catalonia, Spain [email protected]
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Abstract

An ecomorphological study was performed on ten species of the family Artedidraconidae, the most benthic of the suborder Notothenioidei. These species are sympatric on the shelf of the Weddell Sea. The results show that the four genera comprising the family (Artedidraco, Dolloidraco, Histiodraco and Pogonophryne) can be differentiated by just a few morphometric features of their sensory organs and mouth. The genera were also clearly defined by the composition of their diet (benthic and epibenthic), the size of their prey, and their bathymetric distribution. Comparison of the morphological and ecological data shows a very close connection between sensory organs development, the mouth and bathymetric distribution. The morphological and ecological divergence observed can be explained as the result of the rapid adaptive radiation of the artedidraconids. The results confirm that characteristics of the sensory organs and alimentary structures are very suitable for the ecomorphological study of fishes.

Keywords

Antarcticaeye sizemental barbelmorphometrysensory organstrophic niche
Type
Research Article
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 15 , Issue 2 , June 2003 , pp. 211 - 218
Copyright
© Antarctic Science Ltd 2003

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