Trophic niche overlap of deep-sea fish species revealed by the combined approach of stomach contents and stable isotopes analysis in the Central Tyrrhenian Sea

Understanding the trophic ecology of marine ecosystems is a key challenge given that they are subject to anthropogenic pressures that can alter the integrity of the food web. The bathyal zone of the Central Tyrrhenian Sea is characterized by an high level of community biodiversity, heavy anthropogenic pressure and thus represents a fundamental environment for the study of trophic relationships between demersal fish species which live in sympatry, but this basin still remains data deficient. To fill this information gap, we investigated the trophic niche overlap of four deep-sea fish species, Galeus melastomus, Helicolenus dactylopterus, Lepidorhombus boscii, and Trisopterus capelanus, in the Central Tyrrhenian Sea using an integrated approach of stomach content and stable isotopes analysis (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N). Our analysis revealed that the blackmouth catshark G. melastomus displays a wide trophic niche with considerable overlap with other fish species, as it consumed diverse prey including fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods, thus proving a generalist and opportunistic feeding behavior. The blackbelly rosefish H. dactylopterus exhibits a narrower isotopic trophic niche comprising mainly benthic crustaceans and so suggesting a marked specialism in feeding strategy. The diet of the four-spotted megrim L. boscii showed a marked overlap with that H. dactylopterus, as these species shared a similar benthic habit and relied upon a similar pool of resource. The poor cod T. capelanus showed a diverse diet comprising both prey captured close to the bottom, especially decapod and mysid crustaceans, and bathypelagic prey, mainly Osteichthyes, Myctophidae, and amphipod Hyperiidae, with an intermediate partially segregated isotopic niche width. The combination of stomach content analysis and stable isotopes analysis provided the first characterization of the trophic relationships, shedding light on the trophic niche overlap of these four ecologically important deep sea fish species. The diets of the four investigated species showed similarities in the composition of prey, but also differences which allows them to partially reduce competition. This information may be of crucial relevance for the development of effective management and conservation strategies for the bathyal Mediterranean environment.