The giant deep-sea octopus Haliphron atlanticus forages on gelatinous fauna

Feeding strategies and predator-prey interactions of many deep-sea pelagic organisms are still unknown. This is also true for pelagic cephalopods, some of which are very abundant in oceanic ecosystems and which are known for their elaborate behaviors and central role in many foodwebs. We report on t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2017-03, Vol.7 (1), p.44952-44952, Article 44952
Main Authors: Hoving, H J T, Haddock, S H D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal behavior
Animals
Aquatic Organisms
Content analysis
Crustaceans
Eggs
Female
Females
Food Chain
Gastropoda
Haliphron atlanticus
Male
Males
Museums
Oceans and Seas
Octopodiformes - physiology
Organisms
Phacellophora camtschatica
Predation
Predator-prey interactions
Predatory Behavior
Prey
Stomach
Vehicles
Yolk
Zooplankton
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Summary:Feeding strategies and predator-prey interactions of many deep-sea pelagic organisms are still unknown. This is also true for pelagic cephalopods, some of which are very abundant in oceanic ecosystems and which are known for their elaborate behaviors and central role in many foodwebs. We report on the first observations of the giant deep-sea octopus Haliphron atlanticus with prey. Using remotely operated vehicles, we saw these giant octopods holding medusae in their arms. One of the medusae could be identified as Phacellophora camtschatica (the egg-yolk jelly). Stomach content analysis confirmed predation on cnidarians and gelatinous organisms. The relationship between medusae and H. atlanticus is discussed, also in comparison with other species of the Argonautoidea, all of which have close relationships with gelatinous zooplankton.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/srep44952