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Interactions between Plagiotremus spp., Labroides dimidiatus and their clients: evidence for behavioural niche partitioning
Author(s) -
Hansen M. J.,
O'Leary P. M.,
Ward A. J. W.
Publication year - 2017
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/jfb.13165
Subject(s) - biology , wrasse , niche , ecology , zoology , fishery , fish <actinopterygii>
This study employed community analysis and behavioural field observations to explore the inter‐specific interactions between fangblenny species ( Plagiotremus spp.), the cleaner wrasse Labroides dimidiatus and their target species and found that the presence of Plagiotremus spp. did not affect the total amount that L. dimidiatus cleaned but it did reduce the amount L. dimidiatus cleaned key prey species of the Plagiotremus spp. The behavioural interactions between adult L. dimidiatus and their clients changed in response to the presence of Plagiotremus spp., but the results suggested the potential cost of Plagiotremus spp. on L. dimidiatus may be offset by behavioural niche partitioning.