Structure and Trophic Ecology of a Low Latitude Midwater Decapod and Mysid Assemblage

摘要: The micronektonic crustacean assemblage in the eastern Gulf of Mexico is an extension low latitude Atlantic and Caribbean faunas. Species showed highly varying die1 distribution patterns ranging from a strong vertical migration to epipelagic zone absence any resulting permanent residence deep mesopelagic zone. As other areas, decapod species with variegated pigment centered above 650 m during day, whereas 'all-red' below this depth. Standmg stocks were estimated at 0.18 g dry wt m-2 3 ind. upper 1000 m. Diet analysis revealed that crustaceans dominate as main food biomass sergestids (e.g. copepods, ostracods, euphausiids) while aristeids (Gennadas spp.) carideans feed heavily on both fish crustaceans. Among mysids, Gnathophausia ingens ingests mostly eucopiids are primarily copepod feeders. Other common diet items chaetognaths, molluscs (pteropods, heteropods) large phaeodarian radiolarians. Olive-green debris containing phytoplankton protists was encountered diets aU but 2 caridean mysids. It most prevalent Sergia ansteids. A likely source material 'marine snow'. predation impact mysid population zooplankton 1 % standing 18% production d-l. Combined results cluster analyses (space time niche dimensions) (food dunension) characteristics indicate resource partitioning among shrimp occurs between-species level.