Octopus vulgaris in the Caribbean is a specializing generalist

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Date
2008
Authors
Anderson, Roland C.
Wood, James B.
Mather, Jennifer A.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Inter Research
Abstract
The diet of Octopus vulgaris was determined from the remains of 649 prey items gathered from the middens of 38 dens in a small area off the Caribbean island of Bonaire. Remains of 35 species of gastropod (19% of the total), 19 bivalves (51%) and 21 crustaceans (30%) were identified and examined for mode of entry into hard-shelled prey. Although 60% of the gastropods were drilled, neither the size/weight ratio nor the presence of an operculum determined whether drilling occurred. There were strong differences in prey preference among individual octopuses, and the Cardona niche breadth index (B’) of the midden items was 0.08, indicative of specialization. Examples include the exclusive preference for Pinna carnea by one den occupant. This study, by focusing on assessment of preference at specific den locations, is the first to show that while the population had a wide choice of prey items, the individual choices were much narrower, indicating that octopuses were specializing generalists.
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Sherpa Romeo green journal. Permission to archive final published version
Keywords
Octopus vulgaris , Octopus , Diet , Middens , Specializing generalist , Prey choice , Prey preference , Caribbean
Citation
Anderson, R. C., Wood, J. B., & Mather, J. A. (2008). Octopus vulgaris in the Caribbean is a specializing generalist. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 371, 199-202. doi: 10.3354/meps07649
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