Nemopilema nomurai is a frequently bloomed species in the China seas. Their feeding organ has an ontogenetic change when they grow up, but whether their diet changes along with it is unclear. A 5-month study on N. nomurai was conducted in Liaodong Bay, China to clarify the dietary shift and feeding effect of N. nomurai. Fatty acid biomarkers revealed the proportion of carnivorous food in the diet of N. nomurai decreased when their bell diameter increased. The isotope data revealed a similar story with δ15N dropping which indicated a decreased trophic level. The diet composition was dominated (74 %) by zooplankton >200 μm in May and then decreased to <32 % in July. In contrast, the proportion of particulate organic matter increased from <35 % to 68 %. This study revealed a monthly shift in the diet of N. nomurai and contributed to knowledge of trophic interactions between plankton and N. nomurai.
Keywords: Diet; Distribution; Fatty acids; Nemopilema nomurai; Stable isotopes.
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