Cumulatively, our results suggest that the four squids are opportunistic carnivores, unselectively foraging on similar prey items, while spatial segregation is likely a major mechanism leading to their coexistence in the northern South China Sea. The spatial overlap analysis demonstrated that there was clear spatial segregation and habitat use among the species. However, there were no significant effects of individual size or sampling station on the fatty acid compositions. Substantial overlap and high similarity in the fatty acid composition were observed. Similar findings were obtained for most individual fatty acids that made up of an average of more than 84% of total fatty acid content for each species. There were no significant differences in the proportions of saturated or polyunsaturated fatty acids among species. We investigated their feeding strategies in terms of foraging behavior and habitat use by comparing fatty acid profiles and spatial distributions. Four loliginid squids, Uroteuthis duvaucelii, Uroteuthis edulis, Uroteuthis chinensis, and Loliolus uyii are the major cephalopod species in the coastal waters of the northern South China Sea, where they occur together. Feeding strategies of sympatric squid species help to understand their role in marine ecosystems.

Are squids carnivores