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Parrotfishes (family Labridae: Scarini) are regarded to have important roles for maintaining the ecosystem balance in coral reefs due to their removal of organic matter and calcic substrates by grazing. The purpose of the present study was to clarify the interspecific differences in grazing ability of five parrotfish species ( Chlorurus sordidus ,  C. bowersi ,  Scarus rivulatus ,  S. niger  and  S. forsteni ) in relation to interspecific differences in jaw-lever mechanics and the relative weight of the adductor mandibulae (muscles operating jaw closing). The grazing ability was calculated by using stomach contents (CaCO 3  weight/organic matter weight) defined as the grazing ability index (GAI). There were significant interspecific differences in GAI ( C. sordidus  =  C. bowersi  >  S. rivulatus  >  S. niger  =  S. forsteni ). Teeth of  C. sordidus  and  C. bowersi  were protrusive-shape whereas teeth of  S. rivulatus ,  S. niger  and  S. forsteni  were flat-shape.  C. sordidus  and  C. bowersi have jaw-lever mechanics producing a greater biting force and have a larger weight of adductor mandibulae.  S. rivulatus  has jaw-lever mechanics producing a greater biting force but a smaller weight of adductor mandibulae that produce an intermediate biting force. In contrast,  S. niger  and  S. forsteni  have jaw-lever mechanics producing a lesser biting force and have a smaller weight of adductor mandibulae. Feeding rates and foray size of  S. rivulatu s,  S. niger  and  S. forsteni  were greater than   C. sordidus  and  C. bowersi . The degree in bioerosion (GAI × feeding rate) was the largest for  S. rivulatus and the smallest for  S. forsteni . The degree in bioerosion for  C. sordidus  was larger than  S. niger  whereas relatively equal between  C. bowersi  and  S. niger . These results suggest that interspecific difference in GAI was explained by interspecific differences in teeth shape, jaw-lever mechanics and relative weight of adductor mandibulae. The interspecific difference in the degree of bioerosion suggests the importance of various size of parrotfishes with diverse feeding modes to maintain healthy coral reef ecosystems.

peerj

Parrotfish grazing ability: interspecific differences in relation to jaw-lever mechanics and relative weight of adductor mandibulae on an Okinawan coral reef