Abstract
Cephalopod remains were collected from all of 12 dead Emperor penguin chicks [Aptenodytes forsteri (Gray)], from 76% of 29 living adult Emperor penguins, and from 18% of 105 living adult Adelie penguins [Pygoscelis adeliae (Hombron & Jacquinot)] from Adelie Land, Antarctica, in 1982. Of the seven species of squids represented by lower beaks, Psychroteuthis glacialis comprised 88% of the number in both Emperor chicks and Emperor adults and 100% in Adelie adults. From estimates of the weight of squids represented by lower beaks, Gonatus antarcticus and Kondakovia longimana contributed 18 and 14%, respectively, of the weight of squids in the diet of Emperor chicks and 27 and 21%, respectively, in the diet of Emperor adults. The data suggest that Psychroteuthis glacialis probably hatch in July–September and grow steadily for one year, and then spawn and die.
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Communicated by J. Mauchline, Oban
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Offredo, C., Ridoux, V. & Clarke, M.R. Cephalopods in the diets of Emperor and Adelie penguins in Adelie Land, Antarctica. Mar. Biol. 86, 199–202 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00399027
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00399027