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- Title
Puddingwife wrasse: an important trophic link of an isolated oceanic island in Brazil.
- Authors
de Lucena, Marcos B.; Cordeiro, Cesar A. M. M.; Valentin, Jean L.; Aguiar, Aline A.
- Abstract
Invertivorous fish species such as Halichoeres radiatus feed on benthic active prey and need to spend most of their time foraging. Even though the Labridae family is one of the most speciose in reef environments, the knowledge on feeding habits and behavior of this group continues being a major topic on trophic ecology. The present work aimed to evaluate the feeding behavior, diet, and the substrate selectivity of H. radiatus in the remote Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago (SPSPA), where this is the only species of this trophic group, and adds understanding about the role of this species in this singular system. Individuals of H. radiatus were captured and had their diet analyzed in the laboratory to identify and quantify their food items. Direct observations using scuba diving were also performed to describe the daily foraging frequency. Photoquadrats were taken to estimate the substrate relative cover, as a proxy of resource availability. The diet of H. radiatus in SPSPA was mainly composed of damselfish eggs and crustaceans in addition to gastropods, mollusks, and sponges, which reinforces its generalist feeding habits. Individuals of H. radiatus foraged mainly on substrates composed by epilithic algal matrix, which was the most abundant substrate in the study area, but preferred bare rocks and sediment. The foraging activity was constant throughout the daytime, decreasing at sunset. Our results suggest that H. radiatus has a generalist habit, supporting the idea that it is a versatile species, foraging all day long, and constituting an important link in the trophic chain of the archipelago.
- Subjects
SAO Paulo (Brazil); SAINT Paul (Minn.); PETER, the Apostle, Saint, ca. 1 B.C.-67 A.D.; WRASSES; SCUBA diving; ISLANDS; HABIT; ARCHIPELAGOES; GASTROPODA
- Publication
Environmental Biology of Fishes, 2022, Vol 105, Issue 5, p561
- ISSN
0378-1909
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s10641-022-01265-1