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Preparing the perfect cuttlefish meal: complex prey handling by dolphins.

Julian Finn1, Tom Tregenza, Mark Norman

  • 1Sciences, Museum Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. jfinn@museum.vic.gov.au

Plos One
|January 22, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Wild Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) exhibit a novel foraging technique, meticulously preparing giant cuttlefish (Sepia apama) for consumption by removing ink and cuttlebone. This specialized feeding behavior was observed during cuttlefish mass spawning events in South Australia.

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Area of Science:

  • Marine Mammal Behavior
  • Cephalopod Ecology
  • Predator-Prey Interactions

Background:

  • Dolphins are known for complex social and foraging behaviors, but direct underwater observations of wild dolphin feeding are infrequent.
  • Giant cuttlefish (Sepia apama) form mass spawning aggregations in South Australia's Upper Spencer Gulf, creating unique ecological conditions.
  • Understanding specialized foraging strategies is crucial for marine conservation and behavioral ecology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To document and analyze a specific, observed feeding behavior of a wild Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) on giant cuttlefish (Sepia apama).
  • To investigate the sequential steps involved in the dolphin's prey handling and its potential benefits.
  • To explore the ecological factors contributing to the evolution and potential widespread use of this foraging behavior.

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Main Methods:

  • Direct underwater video recording of a wild female Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin interacting with giant cuttlefish during a mass spawning event.
  • Detailed behavioral analysis of the observed prey capture, killing, and preparation sequence.
  • Above-water observations of foraging dolphin pods and collected prey remains (cuttlebones) to infer regional behavior patterns.

Main Results:

  • A novel, multi-step prey handling behavior was documented: herding cuttlefish, pinning, killing, beating to release ink, and skinning to remove the cuttlebone.
  • This sequence effectively removes unpalatable ink (melanin, tyrosine) and the buoyant cuttlebone, improving prey quality.
  • Observations suggest this specialized foraging strategy may be common among dolphins in the region, potentially influenced by high cuttlefish abundance and dolphin visitation.

Conclusions:

  • The observed prey-handling technique represents a significant adaptation by Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins to consume giant cuttlefish efficiently.
  • The unique conditions of giant cuttlefish mass spawning aggregations likely play a role in the evolution and maintenance of this specialized dolphin foraging behavior.
  • Further research is warranted to determine the prevalence and evolutionary significance of this behavior across dolphin populations and other cephalopod prey.