Feeding habits of the Madeira rockfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scorpaena maderensis</Emphasis> from central Mediterranean Sea

In order to assess diet composition and niche breadth of this species, we analysed the stomach content of 182 specimens collected monthly along the eastern coast of Sicily (Central Mediterranean Sea). Overall, 50 prey taxa belonging to five major groups (algae, gastropods, crustaceans, polychaetes, fishes) were identified in 102 full stomachs. Benthic or epibenthic crustaceans, such as decapods, amphipods and isopods were the most important prey, whereas algae, gastropods, polychaetes and fishes were only occasionally ingested. In terms of composition by species, the diet of Scorpaena maderensis was characterized by a variety of rare or unimportant prey, which was consumed by few individuals only, although sometimes in large amount. As a result, S. maderensis can be considered a generalized and opportunistic feeder. The feeding intensity followed roughly a seasonal trend, with a minimum food intake in summer. The individual fish size was the most important factor affecting diet. According to the observed ontogenetic shift, small-sized individuals fed primarily on small crustaceans (i.e. amphipods and isopods), whereas large-sized specimens consumed preferably bigger and more vagile prey, such as walking and swimming decapods. No significant differences in diet were observed in relation to sex of predator and sampling season.     

Alimentary niche partitioning in the Galapagos sea lion, Zalophus wollebaeki

Sea lions are generally considered opportunistic feeders. However, studies from different areas suggest their diet consists mostly of four to five types of prey. Previous studies in Galapagos sea lions have identified at least three feeding strategies for this species, suggesting diversification of their diet. Diet diversification is favored in organisms with relatively high trophic position and subject to high intra-specific and low inter-specific competition. Zalophus wollebaeki meet these criteria as the only pinniped on San Cristobal Island, where three sea lion rookeries are located within 11 km: a distance considerably shorter than their 41 km foraging range. To measure the degree of diet diversification, we used scats and stable isotope analyses. A total of 270 scat samples from lactating females and 142 fur samples from sea lion pups were collected during the breeding season 2006. The scat analysis identified distinct diets among rookeries, with minimal trophic overlap (Cλ = 0.19), a trophic level TL = 4.5 (secondary–tertiary carnivore), and trophic breadth of a specialist predator (B _i  = 0.37). The mean δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values were 13.07 ± 0.52 and −16.34 ± 0.37, respectively. No significant difference was found in the δ¹⁵N values from the sea lion rookeries, but differences were found inter- and intra-population in δ¹³C values for pups from different groups (ANOVA P < 0.05). Our results indicate that diet diversification is present in the Galapagos sea lion and may play important role to the survival of the species in a habitat where pinniped populations are limited.     

Spatial overlap and trophic interactions between pelagic fish and large jellyfish in the northern California Current

Recent studies have indicated that populations of gelatinous zooplankton may be increasing and expanding in geographic coverage, and these increases may in turn affect coastal fish populations. We conducted trawl surveys in the northern California Current and documented a substantial biomass of scyphomedusae consisting primarily of two species (Chrysaora fuscescens and Aurelia labiata). Spatial overlap of these jellyfish with most pelagic fishes, including salmon, was generally low, but there were regions of relatively high overlap where trophic interactions may have been occurring. We compared feeding ecology of jellyfish and pelagic fishes based on diet composition and found that trophic overlap was high with planktivorous species that consume copepods and euphausiid eggs such as Pacific sardines (Sardinops sagax), northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax), Pacific saury (Cololabis saira), and Pacific herring (Clupea pallasi). Moreover, isotope and diet analyses suggest that jellyfish occupy a trophic level similar to that of small pelagic fishes such as herring, sardines and northern anchovy. Thus jellyfish have the potential, given their substantial biomass, of competing with these species, especially in years with low ecosystem productivity where prey resources will be limited.     

Exploited species impacts on trophic linkages along reef-seagrass interfaces in the Florida Keys

The removal of fish biomass by extensive commercial and recreational fishing has been hypothesized to drastically alter the strength of trophic linkages among adjacent habitats. We evaluated the effects of removing predatory fishes on trophic transfers between coral reefs and adjacent seagrass meadows by comparing fish community structure, grazing intensity, and invertebrate predation potential in predator-rich no-take sites and nearby predator-poor fished sites in the Florida Keys (USA). Exploited fishes were more abundant at the no-take sites than at the fished sites. Most of the exploited fishes were either omnivores or invertivores. More piscivores were recorded at no-take sites, but most (approximately 95%) were moderately fished and unexploited species (barracuda and bar jacks, respectively). Impacts of these consumers on lower trophic levels were modest. Herbivorous and smaller prey fish (< 10 cm total length) densities and seagrass grazing diminished with distance from reefs and were not negatively impacted by the elevated densities of exploited fishes at no-take sites. Predation by reef fishes on most tethered invertebrates was high, but exploited species impacts varied with prey type. The results of the study show that, even though abundances of reef-associated fishes have been reduced at fished sites, there is little evidence that this has produced cascading trophic effects or interrupted cross-habitat energy exchanges between coral reefs and seagrasses.     

Ontogeny of diet changes in a tropical benthic carnivorous fish, Parupeneus barberinus (Mullidae): relationship between foraging behaviour, habitat use, jaw size, and prey selection

Parupeneus barberinus forages on benthic invertebrates using a wide range of foraging modes, including vigorous digging in the substratum, resulting in considerable disturbance to the benthos. Polychaetes were the most important prey item for all size classes, but fishes less than 120 mm total length consumed more small ostracods and nematodes than did larger fishes. Fishes greater than 120 mm total length consumed mostly bivalves, and fishes over 240 mm total length consumed mostly bivalves and crabs. A morphological examination of the feeding apparatus suggested that the size of important prey items consumed was determined by gape height and jaw width. Prey available to different size classes of fishes was determined by combining information on microhabitat use, foraging behaviours, and prey volumes in the substratum. Small fishes spent more time foraging on the reef flat and slope, compared with larger fishes that foraged mostly on the reef edge and base. In addition smaller fishes foraged mostly in the upper 2 cm of sediment, whereas larger fishes often foraged to depths of 10 cm. Selection ratios showed that different size classes of fishes selectively extracted different prey items from the substratum. Small fishes showed a preference for ostracods whereas large fishes selected for bivalves and crabs. Although polychaetes were the dominant prey item for all size classes, they were consistently selected against.     

Mechanisms of benthic prey capture in wrasses (Labridae)

Teleost fishes capture prey using ram, suction, and biting behaviors. The relative use of these behaviors in feeding on midwater prey is well studied, but few attempts have been made to determine how benthic prey are captured. This issue was addressed in the wrasses (Labridae), a trophically diverse lineage of marine reef fishes that feed extensively on prey that take refuge in the benthos. Most species possess strong jaws with stout conical teeth that appear well-suited to gripping prey. Mechanisms of prey capture were evaluated in five species encompassing a diversity of feeding ecologies: Choerodon anchorago (Bloch, 1791), Coris gaimard (Quoy and Gaimard, 1824), Hologymnosus doliatus (Lacepède, 1801), Novaculichthys taeniourus (Lacepède, 1801) and Oxycheilinus digrammus (Lacepède, 1801). Prey capture sequences were filmed with high-speed video at the Lizard Island Field Station (14°40′S, 145°28′E) during April and May 1998. Recordings were made of feeding on pieces of prawn suspended in the midwater and similar pieces of prawn held in a clip that was fixed to the substratum. Variation was quantified among species and between prey types for kinematic variables describing the magnitude and timing of jaw, hyoid, and head motion. Species differed in prey capture kinematics with mean values of most variables ranging between two and four-fold among species and angular velocity of the opening jaw differing seven-fold. The kinematics of attached prey feeding could be differentiated from that of midwater captures on the basis of faster angular velocities of the jaws and smaller movements of cranial structures which were of shorter duration. All five species used ram and suction in combination during the capture of midwater prey. Surprisingly, ram and suction also dominated feedings on attached prey, with only one species making greater use of biting than suction to remove attached prey. These data suggest an important role for suction in the capture of benthic prey by wrasses. Trade-offs in skull design associated with suction and biting may be particularly relevant to understanding the evolution of feeding mechanisms in this group. Published online: 11 July 2002     

Feeding habits of the albacore tuna <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thunnus alalunga</Emphasis> (Perciformes,Scombridae) from central Mediterranean Sea

In order to assess feeding habits and trophic level of this species, we analysed the stomach content of 189 specimens collected monthly in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea (central Mediterranean Sea). The results showed that this species is a pelagic predator focusing on paralepidid fish and, more in detail, on two species such as Paralepis speciosa and Paralepis coregonoides. Among cephalopods, Heteroteuthis dispar was the most abundant prey item in the stomach contents, whereas among crustaceans the hyperidean amphipods Phrosina semilunata and Brachyscelus crusculum were the most representative species. In the present study, the diet of the albacore did not vary significantly throughout the period of study focusing, in the different season of catch, on the same prey species. Not even a size-related diet shift was observed, with a partitioning of the albacore sample into five size groups. Levin’s standardized index showed a low value indicating a limited trophic niche width, with a diet dominated by a limited number of taxa and then a specialist behaviour for this predator. The estimated TROPH value for T. alalunga resulted very similar to that calculated in Mediterranean Sea for other species as well as Xiphias gladius, Thunnus thynnus, Euthynnus alletteratus and Sarda sarda. Then, the albacore tuna can be considered as a top carnivore.     

The trophic link between squid and the emperor penguin <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aptenodytes forsteri</Emphasis> at Pointe Géologie,Antarctica

Cephalopod beaks retrieved from stomachs of dead emperor penguin chicks at Pointe Géologie, Terre Adélie, provide information on taxonomic and size composition of the penguin’s squid diet, on the trophic range of the squid species preyed upon and on the fractional trophic impact of the penguin on the whole food web. Emperor penguins prey upon four squid species (Psychroteuthis glacialis, Kondakovia longimana, Gonatus antarcticus, Alluroteuthis antarcticus) and do not take squid larger than 480 mm mantle length. Larger squid live either below the penguin’s diving range or are beyond its handling capacity. Nitrogen stable isotope ratios indicate that squids cover a range of about two trophic levels (2.5–8‰ δ¹⁵N). The impact of the emperor penguin, however, concentrates on the upper part of this range, about 68% of its squid prey being >6‰ δ¹⁵N. The principal components of the emperor’s diet, fish, krill and squid, differ distinctly in average trophic level. Consequently the trophic position of the emperor penguin changes accordingly with diet composition and may differ by almost one trophic level between different emperor penguin colonies.     

Molecular prey identification in wild Octopus vulgaris paralarvae

The trophic ecology of Octopus vulgaris paralarvae collected in 2008 off the Ría de Vigo, NW Spain (42° 12.80′ N–9° 00.00′ W), was approached by both morphological and molecular methods. External digestion of prey and posterior suction of the liquefied contents by wild O. vulgaris paralarvae made the morphological identification of gut contents impossible. Thus, a PCR-based method using group-specific primers was selected to identify prey consumed by O. vulgaris paralarvae in the pelagic realm. The mitochondrial ribosomal 16S gene region was chosen for designing group-specific primers, which targeted a broad range of crustaceans and fishes but avoided the amplification of predator DNA. These primers successfully amplified DNA of prey by using a semi-nested PCR-based approach and posterior cloning. Homology search and phylogenetic analysis were then conducted with the 20 different operational taxonomic units obtained to identify the putative organisms ingested. The phylogenetic analysis clustered ingested prey into 12 families of crustaceans (11 belonging to the order Decapoda and 1 to the order Euphausiacea) and two families of fishes (Gobiidae and Carangidae). According to the Czekanowski’s Index (CI), the trophic niche breadth of O. vulgaris paralarvae is low (CI = 0.13), which means that these paralarvae are specialist predators at least during the first weeks of their life cycle. It is the first time that natural prey has been identified in O. vulgaris paralarvae collected from the wild, and such knowledge may be critical to increasing the survival of O. vulgaris hatchlings in captivity, a goal that has been actively pursued since the 1960s by aquaculture researchers.     

Community composition and consumer identity determine the effect of resource species diversity on rates of consumption

The effect of species diversity on ecosystem function is commonly studied within a single trophic level, but less is known about how resource diversity affects species interactions between trophic levels. We conducted a grazing experiment to determine how resource species diversity affects rates of consumption by three species of freshwater zooplankton consumers. We measured the effect of resource diversity on rates of consumption for several resource community compositions. These compositions varied in terms of palatability for the consumers. The effect of resource diversity on consumption rates depended on the diet breadth of the consumer species (from specialist to generalist) and the community composition of resources. Overall, high resource diversity commonly caused a decline in consumption rates of consumers. The most selective grazer showed reduced consumption for nearly all community compositions, whereas the most generalist grazer showed accelerated consumption when all resource species were palatable. Our results demonstrate that resource species diversity can modulate rates of consumption through the action of multiple different mechanisms.     

Trophic segregation between sexes in the Black Skimmer revealed through the analysis of stable isotopes

The degree of individual or gender variation when exploiting food resources is an important aspect in the study of foraging ecology within a population. Previous information on non-breeding skimmers obtained through conventional methodologies suggested sex-related differences in prey species. In this study, stable isotope techniques were used to investigate the intraspecific segregation in diet and foraging habits of the Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger intercedens) at Mar Chiquita Coastal Lagoon (37°40′S, 57°22′W), Argentina. These results were compared with contemporary data on the trophic composition obtained by conventional methodologies. Blood samples were taken from birds captured with mist-nets during their non-breeding season. The isotopic signatures of skimmers showed a diet mainly composed of marine prey with some degree of estuarine fish intake. When comparing diet between sexes, males showed enrichment in ¹⁵N compared to females, while no differences were observed in ¹³C. The use of mixing models revealed differences in the relative composition of prey in the diet of male and female skimmers. This study highlights stable isotope analysis as a valuable tool to test inter-individual differences and sexual segregation in trophic ecology of Black Skimmers as compared to conventional methodologies. The results show a trophic segregation in the Black Skimmer during the non-breeding season that can be explained by differences in prey species and larger prey sizes of male skimmers. Our findings have significant implications for conservation since any environmental change occurring at wintering areas might have profound effects on several avian life-history traits, and could be different for males and females due to trophic segregation.     

Food resource partitioning by the pufferfishes Sphoeroides spengleri and S. testudineus from Biscayne Bay,Florida

Partitioning of the food resources by two coexisting pufferfishes (Sphoeroides spengleri and S. testudineus) from Biscayne Bay, Florida, USA, was investigated. Gut contents from 453 bandtail and 339 checkered puffers were analyzed. The diets of both species consisted of a variety of benthic prey, but only crustaceans and molluscs were important prey groups. While differences were found in the proportions of general prey categories eaten by these fishes, both species consumed substantial quantities of brachyuran crabs, bivalves, and gastropods. Specific identification of the prey items within these three food categories revealed additional differences in prey between the two puffer species. This partitioning of the food resources by bandtail and checkered puffers was found between both species overall, between overlapping size ranges, and between both species' most abundant size group. Differences in food habits between these two fishes illustrate that congeners with virtually identical mouth structure and complete spatial overlap can significantly partition the food resources.Contribution No. 78-58M from the U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Center, Miami Laboratory, Miami, Florida, USA.     

Diet of Neotropic cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) in an estuarine environment

The diet of the Neotropic cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) was studied by analysing 289 regurgitated pellets collected from a roosting site at Lagoa dos Patos estuary, southern Brazil, between November 2001 and October 2002 (except April to June). In total, 5,584 remains of prey items from 20 food types were found. Fish composed the bulk of the diet representing 99.9% by mass and 99.7% by number. The main food items were White croaker (Micropogonias furnieri) (73.7% by frequency of occurrence, 48.9% by mass and 41.2% by number), followed by Catfish (Ariidae) and anchovies (Engraulididae). In Lagoa dos Patos estuary the generalist Neotropic cormorant fed mainly on the two most abundant demersal fishes (White croaker and Catfish), which accounted for the low niche breadth calculated. The total length of all fish preyed varied from 27.2 to 318.3 mm (113.5 ± 48.0 mm), and preyed White croakers’ size differed between months. Neotropic cormorants seem to prey on most abundant class sizes of White croaker instead of selecting similar prey size throughout the time. However, temporary changes in diet in terms of food items, abundance and prey size were detected, revealing a high ecological plasticity of the species. Individual daily food intake of Neotropic cormorants estimated by pellets and metabolic equations corresponded to 23.7 and 27.1% of their body mass, falling in the range of other cormorant species. Annual food consumption of the population estimated by both methods was 73.4 and 81.9 tonnes, comprising mainly immature and subadult White croaker and Catfish which are commercially important. Temporal variations in diet composition and fish size preyed by Neotropics cormorants, a widespread and generalist species, suggest shifts according to fluctuations in the abundance of prey. The plasticity of this cormorant is also revealed by their ability to adjust feeding behaviour in response to temporal or local changes in the environment, from a generalist at the species level to a specialist at the individual or local population level.     

Shift in Trophic Level of Mediterranean Mariculture Species

The mean trophic level of the farmed fish species in the Mediterranean has been increasing. We examined the farming‐up hypothesis (i.e., the increase in the production of high‐trophic‐level species) in the Mediterranean by determining the trophic level of the aquafeeds (i.e., what the fish are fed) of 5 species of farmed marine fishes: common dentex (Dentex dentex), common pandora (Pagellus erythrinus), European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), and red porgy (Pagrus sp.). The mean trophic level of aquafeed used in mariculture from 1950 to 2011 was higher (3.93) than the prey farmed fish consume in the wild (3.72) and increased at a faster rate (0.48/decade) compared with that based on their diets in the wild (0.43/decade). Future expected replacement of the fishmeal and oil in aquafeeds by plant materials may reverse the farming‐up trend, although there are a number of concerns regarding operational, nutritional, environmental, and economic issues. The farming‐up reversal can be achieved in an ecologically friendly manner by facilitating the mariculture of low‐trophic‐level fishes and by promoting high efficiency in the use of living marine resources in aquafeeds. Cambios en el Nivel Trófico de las Especies de Maricultura Mediterránea     

Shifts of the feeding niche along the size dimension of three juvenile fish species in a tidal mudflat in southeastern Brazil

The diet of three cooccurring abundant fish species (Eucinostomus argenteus, Diapterus rhombeus and Micropogonias furnieri) and its ontogenetic changes in a mudflat area of a tropical bay in southeastern Brazil were described. The working hypothesis is that these three species shift the use of the available resources throughout their growth. Early juveniles of D. rhombeus and M. furnieri fed mainly on Cyclopoida copepods, shifting to Nematoda (D. rhombeus) and errant Polychaeta (M. furnieri) as they increased in size. In contrast, the early life stages of E. argenteus fed mainly on errant Polychaeta and Calanoida copepods, with increasing niche breadth as they grew. The relative degree of individual specialisation in resource use indicated specialism for M. furnieri and E. argenteus, and generalism for D. rhombeus. The largest intraspecific overlap was found for the smallest size classes. Niche breadth increased during ontogeny, with a higher average niche breadth at lower prey length/predator length ratios. Therefore, species-specific differences in diet across the resource gradient and increased niche breadth during ontogeny characterised the shifts of resource use, and probably account for the coexistence of these species in zones of sympatry in mudflat areas of southeastern Brazil.     

Network analysis reveals contrasting effects of intraspecific competition on individual vs. population diets

Optimal foraging theory predicts that individuals should become more opportunistic when intraspecific competition is high and preferred resources are scarce. This density-dependent diet shift should result in increased diet breadth for individuals as they add previously unused prey to their repertoire. As a result, the niche breadth of the population as a whole should increase. In a recent study, R. Svanb?ck and D. I. Bolnick confirmed that intraspecific competition led to increased population diet breadth in threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). However, individual diet breadth did not expand as resource levels declined. Here, we present a new method based on complex network theory that moves beyond a simple measure of diet breadth, and we use the method to reexamine the stickleback experiment. This method reveals that the population as a whole added new types of prey as stickleback density was increased. However, whereas foraging theory predicts that niche expansion is achieved by individuals accepting new prey in addition to previously preferred prey, we found that a subset of individuals ceased to use their previously preferred prey, even though other members of their population continued to specialize on the original prey types. As a result, populations were subdivided into groups of ecologically similar individuals, with diet variation among groups reflecting phenotype-dependent changes in foraging behavior as prey density declined. These results are consistent with foraging theory if we assume that quantitative trait variation among consumers affects prey preferences, and if cognitive constraints prevent individuals from continuing to use their formerly preferred prey while adding new prey.     

Food resource partitioning in a Mediterranean demersal fish assemblage: the effect of body size and niche width

We investigated the effects of body size, feeding strategy and depth distribution on the trophic resource partitioning among the 26 dominant fish consumers in a fish assemblage on the central Mediterranean shelf-break. The fish assemblage was structured in two major trophic guilds: epibenthic and zooplanktonic feeders, according to the position of each predator along the benthos–plankton gradient. Within each main guild, the species were segregated along a prey-size or fish-size gradient into five further guilds. Fish size and prey size were strongly correlated, indicating that the prey-size niche can be well explained by predator size. Fish consumers showed a significant negative correlation between the similarity in prey type and the similarity in depth distribution; most species with similar trophic preferences segregated along the depth dimension. The only predators overlapping in both food and depth preferences were those with a more specialist trophic behavior. These results suggest that fish body size and depth preferences are the two main niche dimensions, explaining a large part of the coexistence between the Mediterranean shelf-break fish consumers.     

Ecological niche segregation among five toothed whale species off the NW Iberian Peninsula using ecological tracers as multi-approach

This study aims to assess niche segregation among the five main toothed whales that frequent the NW Iberian Peninsula waters: the common dolphin, the harbour porpoise, the bottlenose dolphin, the striped dolphin and the long-finned pilot whale. We used cadmium (Cd) and stable isotope ratios (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) as ecological tracers to assess degree of segregation in diet/trophic level and in foraging habitat, over various time-scales. δ¹³C values highlighted different habitats, while Cd concentrations highlighted feeding differences between oceanic and neritic species. Moreover, δ¹⁵N values suggest different trophic levels of prey targeted within oceanic and neritic species. Hence, results revealed long-term ecological segregation among five toothed whales that coexist in the NWIP and demonstrated the ability of ecological tracers to discriminate ecological niches among closely related species.     

Coordinated mechanics of feeding,swimming, and eye movements in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tautoga onitis</Emphasis>, and implications for the evolution of trophic strategies in fishes

Fish feeding behavior results from successful coordination of the fins, jaws, and sensory systems, and the organization of this behavior may affect the fish’s foraging abilities and trophic ecology. Using quantitative kinematic methods, movements of the jaws, fins and eyes of Tautoga onitis (Teleostei: Labridae) were analyzed during feeding events. Tautog feeding events consisted of three phases: approach, strike, and recovery, each defined by a combination of kinematic events. The approach was characterized by changes in fin movements and in body position, with the eyes directed forward at the food item. The strike began with the onset of jaw opening and protrusion, then cranial elevation, with the eyes no longer looking at the food item. The end of the strike and the beginning of the recovery involved a braking maneuver with the pectoral fins; the fish turns and swims away from the original food location item after prey capture. The coordination performance variables of tautog were quantitatively compared to published data from closely related cheiline wrasses and parrotfishes, which represent different feeding ecologies within a monophyletic assemblage. Fishes feeding on molluscs and benthic invertebrates (Cheilinus fasciatus and Tautoga onitis) represented an intermediate coordination condition, with herbivores (the parrotfishes, Scarus quoyi and Sparisoma radians) at one extreme, and fishes feeding on elusive prey (Epibulus insidiator and Oxycheilinus digrammus) at the other extreme. The analysis suggests that the biomechanical demands of coordination for feeding on benthic invertebrates may represent a generalized, and perhaps ancestral behavior in the wrasses, whereas more specialized trophic niches have evolved divergent, more specialized demands. Examining the movement and coordination of the jaws, fins, and eyes during fish feeding provides a detailed mechanistic basis for behavior, and comparison of coordination patterns during feeding among different taxa can measure how these trophic strategies differ. Understanding the evolution of feeding ecologies in these demersal fishes may have implications for understanding their role within their shallow water reef community.     

A comparison of strike and prey capture kinematics of three species of piscivorous fishes: Florida gar ( Lepisosteus platyrhincus), redfin needlefish ( Strongylura notata), and great barracuda ( Sphyraena barracuda)

Ram feeding is the process by which a predatory fish uses a high-velocity lunge or chase to overtake its prey. This study compares the strike and prey capture behaviors and kinematics of three species of ram-feeding fishes: Florida gar Lepisosteus platyrhincus, redfin needlefish Strongylura notata, and great barracuda Sphyraena barracuda. These ram-feeding piscivores are morphologically similar with fusiform bodies, posteriorly placed dorsal and anal fins, and large, conical teeth. Strike and prey capture kinematics for five individuals of each species were recorded with high-speed video. Pre-strike behavior in L. platyrhincus consists of a slow stalk, resulting in the close, lateral positioning of the predators head relative to the prey. Lepisosteus employ a sideways lunge of the head during the strike, which lasts only 25–40 ms and is the most rapid strike among these three species. Strongylura notata and Sphyraena barracuda exhibit longitudinal orientation to the prey before the strike, followed by a high velocity, head-on lunge, initiated by an s-start in Sphyraena barracuda. Prey capture in adult L. platyrhincus and Strongylura notata is characterized by the jaws closing on the prey, with the prey held orthogonal to the jaws. This is followed by manipulation using the inertia of the prey to reposition the prey head first, and then suction transport into the buccal cavity. Prey capture in juvenile Sphyraena is accomplished by closing the jaws after the prey has entered the buccal cavity, resulting in possible ram transport of the prey with no oral manipulation under these experimental conditions. Although these three species all employ ram feeding for prey capture of elusive prey, each species has a unique repertoire that appears to minimize hydrodynamic constraints and prey response, utilize locomotory capabilities, and may be suited to each species specific habitat.Communicated by P.W. Sammarco, Chauvin