Our study sought to analyze patterns and overlap in prey items consumed by elasmobranch species in southern Brazil through a complex network analysis. We hypothesized that species with the same habitat use would show greater trophic niche overlap and lower diet specialization than species with different habitat use. We conducted a literature survey of the species recorded in southern Brazil and analyzed publications with quantitative data on the diet of each species. We found records of 103 species in the region, of which 58 had their diets analyzed and had quantitative data to contribute to this analysis. The results suggest nested diet patterns in this community. Nestedness may arise for different reasons, and suggests that species might be balancing their high feeding niche overlap through compensatory mechanisms. There are no prior records of such a pattern in elasmobranch communities, which brings to light important information about their feeding niche. Data on prey consumption and temporal and spatial patterns of elasmobranch feeding may yield further insight into how these species are interacting in the environment and assist the investigation of the processes that shaped the current community’s trophic structure.

我们的研究旨在通过复杂的网络分析来分析巴西南部的弹性分支物种所消耗的猎物的模式和重叠。我们假设，与具有不同栖息地用途的物种相比，具有相同栖息地用途的物种将表现出更大的营养生态位重叠和更低的饮食专长。我们对巴西南部记录的物种进行了文献调查，并分析了有关每种物种饮食的定量数据的出版物。我们发现了该地区103种物种的记录，其中58种的饮食结构得到了分析，并有定量数据有助于这一分析。结果表明该社区内的嵌套饮食模式。嵌套的产生可能有不同的原因，这表明物种可能通过补偿机制来平衡其高摄食位重叠。弹性分支社区尚无这种模式的先前记录，这揭示了有关其觅食位的重要信息。有关猎物消耗以及弹性bra喂养的时空格局的数据可能会提供关于这些物种在环境中如何相互作用的进一步见解，并有助于调查形成当前社区营养结构的过程。