Examining intra- and interspecific variability in the diet and carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios of kingklip and monkfish caught off the West and South coasts of South Africa

Abstract

Kingklip (Genypterus capensis) and monkfish (Lophius vomerinus) and are ecologically and economically important demersal fish species that are found along both the eastern and western parts of southern Africa’s coastline. Despite their commercial value, limited information exists focusing on the trophic ecology of these two species. This is the first study to make use of both stomach content analysis and stable isotope analysis to directly compare and examine the trophic ecology of G. capensis and L. vomerinus off the West and South coast of South Africa.