Abstract:

These data represent stable isotope values (13C/15N) of eight species of meso- and bathypelagic nekton collected in the northern Gulf of Mexico during spring (22-March to 11-April), summer (23-June to 13-July), and fall (8-September to 27-September) of 2011. The species examined in this study include: Anoplogaster cornuta, Chauliodus sloani, Coccorella atlantica, Gigantura chuni, Gigantura indica, Omosudis lowii, Photostomias guernei, and Stomias affinis. Isotope values are derived from white muscle tissue dissected from 212 individual fish that were collected using large mid-water trawls towed from the surface to depths of either 700 or 1400 m. The samples were collected as part of an ongoing effort to describe the trophic ecology of major functional groups within deep-pelagic environments of the northern Gulf of Mexico.

Suggested Citation:

Richards, T.M., Gipson, E.E.. 2018. Stable isotope (13C/15N) data of meso- and bathypelagic nekton, northern Gulf of Mexico, March - September 2011. Distributed by: Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Information and Data Cooperative (GRIIDC), Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/N7ZS2V04

Publications:

OUP accepted manuscript. (2018). ICES Journal of Marine Science. doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsy074

Marks, A. D., Kerstetter, D. W., Wyanski, D. M., & Sutton, T. T. (2020). Reproductive Ecology of Dragonfishes (Stomiiformes: Stomiidae) in the Gulf of Mexico. Frontiers in Marine Science, 7. doi:10.3389/fmars.2020.00101

Purpose:

This data set and the samples included were collected as part of an ongoing effort to describe the trophic ecology of major functional groups within deep-pelagic environments of the northern Gulf of Mexico. This data set will be used for the creation of a peer-reviewed manuscript.

Data Parameters and Units:

Species name, Sample ID, Date (DD-MMM-YY), Longitude (decimal degrees), Latitude (decimal degrees), delta 13C (ppt), delta 15N (ppt), Standard length (SL) measured in mm, Carbon to Nitrogen ratio

Methods:

All fish specimens were collected during 2011 using large midwater trawls towed from the surface to depths of either 700 or 1400 m. Samples for stable isotope analysis are derived from white muscle tissue dissected from fish dorsal musculature. All isotope samples were analyzed at the UC Davis stable isotope facility in Davis, California.

Individual Files: