Metabarcoding of feces and intestinal contents to determine carnivorous diets in red-crowned cranes in eastern Hokkaido, Japan

Haruka KATAOKA; Nanami KOITA; Natsuko ITO KONDO; Hiroshi C. ITO; Momoko NAKAJIMA; Kunikazu MOMOSE; Hiroko IIMA; Tomoo YOSHINO; Tomoko AMANO; Takio KITAZAWA; Daiji ENDOH; Nobuyoshi NAKAJIMA; Hiroki TERAOKA

doi:10.1292/jvms.21-0516

Wildlife Science

Metabarcoding of feces and intestinal contents to determine carnivorous diets in red-crowned cranes in eastern Hokkaido, Japan

Haruka KATAOKA, Nanami KOITA, Natsuko ITO KONDO, Hiroshi C. ITO, Momoko NAKAJIMA, Kunikazu MOMOSE, Hiroko IIMA, Tomoo YOSHINO, Tomoko AMANO, Takio KITAZAWA, Daiji ENDOH, Nobuyoshi NAKAJIMA, Hiroki TERAOKA

Author information

Haruka KATAOKA
School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Hokkaido, Japan
Nanami KOITA
School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Hokkaido, Japan
Natsuko ITO KONDO
Biodiversity Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Ibaraki, Japan
Hiroshi C. ITO
Biodiversity Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Ibaraki, Japan
Momoko NAKAJIMA
Biodiversity Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Ibaraki, Japan
Kunikazu MOMOSE
NPO Red-crowned Crane Conservancy, Hokkaido, Japan
Hiroko IIMA
Kushiro Zoo, Hokkaido, Japan
Tomoo YOSHINO
Kushiro Zoo, Hokkaido, Japan
Tomoko AMANO
College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Sciences, Rakuno Gakuen University, Hokkaido, Japan
Takio KITAZAWA
School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Hokkaido, Japan
Daiji ENDOH
School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Hokkaido, Japan
Nobuyoshi NAKAJIMA
Biodiversity Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Ibaraki, Japan
Hiroki TERAOKA
School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Hokkaido, Japan
NPO Red-crowned Crane Conservancy, Hokkaido, Japan

Keywords: cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, Grus japonensis, high throughput sequencing, Japan, scatology

JOURNAL OPEN ACCESS
Supplementary material

2022 Volume 84 Issue 3 Pages 358-367

DOI https://doi.org/10.1292/jvms.21-0516

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Abstract

The red-crowned crane Grus japonensis in Hokkaido, Japan forms a closed population as a residence that is independent of the mainland population. Based on observations of a limited number of individuals as well as cranes in captivity, red-crowned cranes are omnivores and eat fish, worms, insects and plants in their own territories except in winter, when they are fed with dent corn that is supplied in eastern Hokkaido. DNA metabarcoding based on high throughput sequencing was carried out using universal primer sets for cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene. Feces from 27 chicks collected in June and July in the period from 2016 to 2018 and intestinal contents from 33 adult and subadult cranes that were found dead almost throughout year in 2006–2013 in the field in eastern Hokkaido were used. Although compositions varied considerably in the cranes, both insects and fish were found in adults and subadults to the same extents, while insects were predominant in chicks. Both insects and fish were detected in all seasons for adults and subadults. Horse flies, scarab beetles and weevils accounted for the most of the insects regardless of the life stage. Dace, stickleback, flatfish and sculpin were the major fish species in adults, while chicks ate almost only stickleback. The results provide the first comprehensive data on carnivorous diets in wild red-crowned cranes in eastern Hokkaido as basis for conservation of red-crowned cranes, for which the life style and area continue to change.

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