Cephalopod prey of two <i>Ziphius cavirostris</i> (Cetacea) stranded on the western Mediterranean coast

Abstract

The stomach contents of two Cuvier's beaked whales ( Ziphius cavirostris ), male and female, stranded on the western Mediterranean coast were analysed. Food consisted exclusively of hard cephalopod remains. The character of this teuthophagous diet agrees with the offshore and deep diving behaviour of Z. cavirostris .