ABSTRACT: New Zealand fur seals Arctocephalus forsteri are the most abundant of the 4 otariid (eared seal) species distributed across Australasia. Analyses of stomach contents, scats and regurgitates suggest a diet dominated by bony fish and squid, with cartilaginous species (e.g. sharks and rays) either absent or underrepresented because of a lack of preservable hard parts. Here we report on a subadult specimen from south-eastern Australia, which was found ashore emaciated and with numerous puncture wounds across its lips, cheeks, throat and the inside of its oral cavity. Fish spines embedded in the carcass revealed that these injuries were inflicted by chimaeras and myliobatiform rays (stingrays and relatives), which matches reports on the diet of A. forsteri from New Zealand, but not South Australia. Shaking and tearing of prey at the surface may help to avoid ingestion of the venomous spines, perhaps contributing to their absence from scats and regurgitates. Nevertheless, the number and severity of the facial stab wounds, some of which led to local necrosis, likely affected the animal’s ability to feed, and may account for its death. Despite their detrimental effects, fish spine-related injuries are difficult to spot, and may be a common, albeit cryptic, type of trauma. We therefore recommend that stranded seals be systematically examined for this potentially life-threatening pathology.

中文翻译：

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通过新西兰海狗推断饮食，摄食行为和猎物引起的伤害导致的死亡原因。

摘要：新西兰海豹Arctocephalus forsteri是分布在整个大洋洲的4种耳廓（耳海豹）中最丰富的一种。胃内容物，粪便和反流食物的分析表明，饮食以骨鱼和鱿鱼为主，由于缺乏可保存的硬质部分，因此软骨种类（例如鲨鱼和rays鱼）不存在或代表性不足。在这里，我们报道了一个来自澳大利亚东南部的亚成体标本，该标本被发现在岸上已消瘦，并且在其嘴唇，脸颊，喉咙和口腔内部遍布大量刺伤。embedded体中嵌有鱼刺表明，这些伤害是由锥虫和my蝶形射线（黄貂鱼和亲戚）造成的，这与关于福氏曲霉饮食的报道相符。来自新西兰，但不包括南澳大利亚。猎物在表面上的晃动和撕裂可能有助于避免食入有毒的刺，这可能会导致它们从粪便和反流中消失。然而，面部刺伤的数量和严重程度（其中一些导致局部坏死）可能影响动物的进食能力，并可能导致其死亡。尽管有不利影响，但与鱼脊柱相关的伤害很难发现，并且可能是常见的隐性创伤。因此，我们建议针对这种潜在的威胁生命的病理系统地检查海豹海豹。