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Journal of Heredity Advance Access first published online on March 2, 2005
This version published online on March 21, 2005
Journal of Heredity, doi:10.1093/jhered/esi036
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© The American Genetic Association. 2005. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oupjournals.org.
Received May 5, 2004
Accepted November 4, 2004

Brief Communication

Genetic Screening for Prey in the Gut Contents from a Giant Squid (Architeuthis sp.)

B. E. Deagle 1*, S. N. Jarman 2, D. Pemberton 3, and N. J. Gales 2

1 From the Zoology Department, University of Tasmania, GPO Box 252-05, Hobart, 7001, Australia; Australian Antarctic Division, Channel Highway, Kingston, 7050, Australia
2 From the Australian Antarctic Division, Channel Highway, Kingston, 7050, Australia
3 From the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, GPO Box 1164, Hobart, 7001, Australia

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
B. E. Deagle, E-mail: bedeagle{at}utas.edu.au


  Abstract

Giant squids (Architeuthis sp.) remain mysterious; they have evaded observation and are rarely taken from their deep sea habitat. Information on the diet of Architeuthis is scarce due to the limited number of specimens with morphologically recognizable remains in their digestive tracts. We explored the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods for detection of DNA in the prey remains and amorphous slurry from an Architeuthis gut sample. The DNA region amplified varied in size, allowing separation of fish and squid components. Sequence comparisons identified fish prey as Macruronus novaezelandiae. Isolation of Architeuthis DNA from an ingested tentacle and the presence of chitin fragments indicate cannibalism occurs in giant squid. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis was used to screen for less common DNA types, revealing a high frequency of PCR-generated false alleles, but no additional prey species.

Table 2 has been corrected.
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