Feeding ecology based on stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes: A comparative study on different Guiana dolphin tissues

Different tissues are used for stable isotope analysis in cetacean investigations. However, variation in the isotopic composition of tissues with different turnover rates has been reported for cetaceans. To better understand stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) in skin compared to other tissues, this study assessed the isotopic variation among the liver, muscle, and skin of Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis), as well as the influence of sex on these variations. No differences were found in δ¹³C among male tissues, but females showed lower values in the liver compared to muscle and skin. Differences in δ¹⁵N were observed among all tissues, with different variation patterns for males and females. Four females were distinguished from males and other females by their ¹³C depletion in all tissues and δ¹⁵N variation pattern. We conclude that skin and muscle may be equivalent in δ¹³C values for Guiana dolphins. The multiple-tissue analysis brings new insights into their feeding ecology and provides background for stable isotope analysis using non-destructive sampling techniques in small cetaceans.