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The goatfish Pseudupeneus maculatus and its follower fishes at an oceanic island in the tropical west Atlantic
Author(s) -
Sazima C.,
Krajewski J. P.,
Bonaldo R. M.,
Guimarães P. R.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2006.01166.x
Subject(s) - biology , ecology , foraging , planktivore , fishery , nutrient , phytoplankton
The influence of a substratum‐disturbing forager, the spotted goatfish Pseudupeneus maculatus on the assemblage of its escorting, opportunistic‐feeding fishes was examined at Fernando de Noronha Archipelago (tropical west Atlantic). Followers attracted to spotted goatfish foraging singly differed from followers of spotted goatfish foraging in groups in several characteristics. The larger the nuclear fish group, the greater the species richness and number of individuals of followers. Moreover, groups of foraging spotted goatfish attracted herbivores, not recorded for spotted goatfish foraging singly. The size of follower individuals increased with the size and the number of foraging spotted goatfish. The zoobenthivorous habits of the spotted goatfish and its ability to disturb a variety of soft substrata render it an important nuclear fish for several follower species of the reef fish assemblage at Fernando de Noronha.