GUT CONTENTS AND DIEL FEEDING RHYTHM IN DOMINANT COPEPODS IN THE ICE-COVERED WEDDELL-SEA, MARCH 1992

Zooplankton was sampled at a diurnal station during the drift of the I ce Station Weddell-l in the western Weddell Sea in March 1992. Gut con tents of Metridia gerlachei, Calanoides acutus, Calanus propinquus and Rhincalanus gigas were studied. Calanoides acutus was trophically ina ctive, but 18%, 33% and 45% of Calanus propinquus, R. gigas and M. ger lachei, respectively, contained food in their guts. Diel changes in gu t levels and percentage of individuals with full guts with maximum dur ing the dark period were observed in M. gerlachei copepodite stage V a nd females. The possible reasons for observed differences in foraging patterns of the four copepod species are discussed.