COMPARATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF PATAGONIAN (DISSOSTICHUS ELEGINOIDES) AND ANTARCTIC (D. MAWSONI NORMAN) TOOTHFISH INHABITING DIFFERENT SECTORS OF THE SOUTHERN OCEAN

On the basis of our own data and literature materials, the schematic posters showing spatial and vertical distribution of two toothfish species during their whole life cycle, changes in food interrelations and size composition on the shelf and continental slope, are presented. The comparative analysis of these parameters revealed essential differences in food spectra both at the first pelagic stage of their life cycle and during the period of their habitation on the shelf and continental slope. At that, under the common regularity of exploration of pelagial and then different depths on the shelf and slope Patagonian toothfish off the South Georgia (48.3) has a more abundant food base and its individuals are much larger on the average than in the area of Kerguelen Archipelago (58.5.1.) (Posters 1 and 2). In turn, Antarctic toothfish individuals in the seas of Indian Sector (58.4) are larger than in the Pacific Ross Sea (88.1) (Posters 3 and 4) that is determined , in large extent, by abundant food base in pelagial, on the shelf and slope of continental seas in the Indian Sector of Antarctica.