food for almost everything!

[John Chardine]

.... well at least many marine predators such as seabirds, seals and cetaceans (whales etc). These are krill washed up on shore on Campobello Island, New Brunswick. Most people know about Antarctic krill and some are surprised to hear that they are found all over the world's oceans and seas. Krill are in the crustacean family called Euphausidae. They are not shrimps.

One of the most important species in the North Atlantic is Meganyctiphanes norvegica, which is shown here. I know, it's a mouthful- the first "c" is silent by the way. Many seabirds and cetaceans feed on this species in the North Atlantic.

The most important southern hemisphere species- Euphausia superba, is the Antarctic Krill, which could be the most abundant animal on Earth. It is food for species such as penguins, Leopard Seals, and many cetacean species in Antarctica.

Krill have high levels of fluoride in their skins, which make them toxic unless they are processed quickly such that the meat is separated from the skins soon after death. This is a difficult process and has more or less saved the Antarctic species from what could have been a massive fishery. Clever food scientists may figure out how to do this in the future so we are not out of the woods yet. Marine predators deal with this problem by having very fast guts and are able to process the krill quickly and void the skins before the fluoride has migrated out. They probably have an extra tolerance to fluoride as well.

[Dan Brown]

Very interesting John! The most interesting part is the toxic fluoride! Once or twice a year I go on pelagic birding trips out of Monterey Bay. The leader on the boat almost always nets some Krill and shows all that they are edible! I have eaten a pinch or two myself :wh I don't eat much, so maybe this is why it has no effect on me? Maybe it is a different species? It tastes like salty, crunchy shrimp!:p

[John Chardine]

I've eaten them too Dan. No worries with just a few. As far as I know they all have high levels.

[Dan Brown]

I've eaten them too Dan. No worries with just a few. As far as I know they all have high levels.

Good to hear that we will survive! I think I'll pass next trip!:wh

[Jeff Cashdollar]

John - very interesting and I like understanding more of the base layer of things. It is all connected and this is a very important food chain aspect.

[Paul Guris]

I've been seabirding for decades and certainly had read many things about the importance of krill, but I had never heard about the fluoride level issue. Thanks for posting this.