Evaluating prey availability of Rice’s whales ( Balaenoptera ricei ) based on environmental DNA

Evaluating prey availability of Rice’s whales ( Balaenoptera ricei ) based on environmental DNA | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL Ecology and Evolution This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 20 August 2025 V1 Latest version Share on Evaluating prey availability of Rice’s whales ( Balaenoptera ricei ) based on environmental DNA Authors : Katherine Silliman 0000-0001-5964-3965 [email protected] , Lynsey Talbot , Mary Applegate , Laura Dias , Lance Garrison , Mark Grace , Corinne Paterson Holder , Luke Thompson 0000-0002-3911-1280 , Nicole Vollmer , and Patricia Rosel Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175571300.02915570/v1 Published Ecology and Evolution Version of record Peer review timeline 406 views 266 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Understanding the foraging ecology of endangered marine mammals is crucial for their conservation yet remains challenging due to the inaccessibility of their feeding habitats. Here, we used environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding with two complementary 12S rRNA markers to characterize potential prey communities available to the critically endangered Rice’s whale ( Balaenoptera ricei ) in its core habitat in the northeastern Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico). Water samples collected at 21 stations during a 2019 survey detected 99 unique fish species across 62 families, exceeding the diversity recorded by concurrent trawl surveys. To support these analyses, existing reference databases were expanded by sequencing the 12S rRNA gene from 15 regional fish species, using new primers developed for this study. The combined metabarcoding approach revealed 74 fish species not recorded in trawls, while 16 trawl-caught species went undetected by eDNA. Notably, eDNA yielded higher detection rates for several potential prey taxa previously identified through stable isotope analysis and trawl surveys, resulting in an updated list of top potential prey. These findings suggest that key prey species may be more prevalent in Rice’s whale habitat than previously documented. Our study demonstrates the value of eDNA as a complementary tool for monitoring the prey community of this critically endangered cetacean, while highlighting the need for continued development of reference databases to maximize the ecological insights gained from marine metabarcoding applications. Supplementary Material File (rices whale diet edna manuscript ene 081825.docx) Download 530.86 KB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 20 August 2025 Peer review timeline Published Ecology and Evolution Version of Record 13 Jan 2026 Published Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Collection Ecology and Evolution Keywords comparative ecosystem ecology marine molecular genetics natural history vertebrate Authors Affiliations Katherine Silliman 0000-0001-5964-3965 [email protected] Mississippi State University Northern Gulf Institute View all articles by this author Lynsey Talbot National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration View all articles by this author Mary Applegate University of Miami Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies View all articles by this author Laura Dias University of Miami Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies View all articles by this author Lance Garrison National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration View all articles by this author Mark Grace National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration View all articles by this author Corinne Paterson Holder University of Miami Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies View all articles by this author Luke Thompson 0000-0002-3911-1280 Mississippi State University Northern Gulf Institute View all articles by this author Nicole Vollmer University of Miami Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies View all articles by this author Patricia Rosel National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 406 views 266 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Katherine Silliman, Lynsey Talbot, Mary Applegate, et al. Evaluating prey availability of Rice’s whales ( Balaenoptera ricei ) based on environmental DNA. Authorea . 20 August 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175571300.02915570/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . 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