Title	Biology and distribution of South Georgia icefish (Pseudochaenichthys georgianus) around South Georgia and Shag Rocks
Author	Clarke, S.; Reid, W.D.K.; Collins, M.A.; Belchier, M.
Author Affil	Clarke, S., British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Source	Antarctic Science, 20(4), p.343-353, . Publisher: Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom. ISSN: 0954- 1020
Publication Date	Aug. 2008
Notes	In English. 49 refs. GeoRef Acc. No: 287456
Index Terms	Atlantic Ocean Islands--South Georgia; Southern Ocean; Arthropoda; Atlantic Ocean Islands; biogeography; Chordata; Crustacea; diet; ecology; feeding; Invertebrata; Mandibulata; Pisces; Scotia Sea Islands; Shag Rocks; South Georgia; Vertebrata
Abstract	Pseudochaenichthys georgianus is a member of the unique Channichthyidae family of fishes, which lack haemoglobin. The distribution, length-frequency and summer diet are described from 14 bottom trawl surveys undertaken in the summers between 1986 and 2006. Pseudochaenichthys georgianus (50-590 mm TL) were caught throughout the South Georgia shelf from depths of 76-370 m. but very few specimens (‹1%) were caught on the Shag Rocks shelf. Multiple cohorts were present during each survey and length- frequency analysis of these cohorts suggests that growth is fast during the first 3-4 years. Stomach contents analysis (2005 & 2006) indicated that P. georgianus is a pelagic or semi pelagic predator, with the summer diet dominated by Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba). Fish (channichthyids and notothenids) were also taken, but were a relatively minor part of the diet.
URL	http://hdl.handle.net/10.1017/S095410200800990
Publication Type	journal article
Record ID	84702