Benthosema glaciale diet across the North Atlantic

The data submitted is used in a comparative analysis of the diet of one of the globally most numerous myctophids, the Glacier lantern fish Benthosema glaciale, across four deep basins of the North-Atlantic. B. glaciale is a small fish species that contribute to carbon flux to the deep basins of the open ocean, and is thus considered an important element of the biological carbon pump (BCP). Data submitted is length and weight of fish analyzed for stomach content. In addition there are available taxonomic information, weight and number of prey items of each fish that has stomach content, as long as it has been possible to assign prey to a species or other taxonomic category. Unidentified prey usually had a high degree of digestion and individual items could not be counted, but could be weighed. Sampling were undertaken onboard the RV G.O. Sars during a six week long transatlantic scientific survey from Bergen (Norway) to Nuuk (Greenland) and back to Bergen in May and June 2013. Samples of B. glaciale for stomach content analysis were collected from three Harstad trawl hauls and 16 Macroplankton trawl hauls. The Harstad trawl is a graded (variable mesh size), small mid-water trawl with 20 m vertical opening and 15 m wing spread (Godø et al., 1993). The Macroplankton trawl on the other hand is a light pelagic trawl that has a nominal 6x6 m trawl opening and mesh size of 3 mm square light opening (8 mm stretched, knot to knot) from the trawl mouth along the entire trawl length to the cod-end (Hassel et al., 2017; Klevjer et al., 2020).