First Report on the Diet of the Angolan Flying Squid 'Todarodes angolensis' in New Zealand Waters

Abstract

The Angolan flying squid (Todarodes angolensis) is a southerly distributed, large-bodied ommastrephid preyed upon by many large marine vertebrates such as the southern elephant seal and deep-sea squalid sharks. Here, we report its diet in New Zealand waters for the first time, identifying prey items from the stomach contents of 58 adults using morphology and DNA barcoding. Most of the 32 observed prey taxa occurred only once, and many stomachs contained only one observed prey taxon. Fishes, particularly myctophids (eight species), were the most frequently occurring and abundant prey class; the largest prey item was a javelin fish (Lepidorhynchus denticulatus), with a calculated length of 50 cm based on otolith measurements. Cephalopods were the second most common prey class, with the rough-skinned clubhook squid (Moroteuthopsis ingens) occurring most frequently and jewelled squids (Histioteuthis spp.) having the highest number of individuals (n = 13). No crustaceans were observed, but Tam O'shanter sea urchins (Echinothurioidea) were identified twice, perhaps representing secondary prey items or net feeding. Most of the squid contained anisakids, including Skrjabinisakis physeteris, which uses physeterid and kogiid cetaceans as its final host. Together, these findings indicate that T. angolensis is a highly active, opportunistic carnivore that also serves as a vector for anisakid parasites to cetacean apex predators.