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Contrasting feeding and agonistic behaviour of two blenny species on a small and remote island in the equatorial Atlantic Ocean
Author(s) -
Quimbayo Juan P.,
Giglio Vinicius J.,
Ferreira Carlos E. L.,
Fraga Alana,
Nunes José A. C. C.,
Mendes Thiago C.
Publication year - 2020
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.14180
Subject(s) - agonistic behaviour , biology , archipelago , morning , detritus , ecology , fishery , oceanography , zoology , botany , psychology , psychiatry , geology , aggression
We investigated the feeding rates, agonistic behaviour and diet of two blenny species, Entomacrodus vomerinus and Ophioblennius trinitatis , by direct observation and gut content analysis. Both species coexist in small and shallow tide pools in the St Peter and St Paul's Archipelago, equatorial North Atlantic Ocean. The feeding rate of O. trinitatis was c . 55 % higher than E. vomerinus . On the other hand, agonistic rate of O. trinitatis was negatively related to body size, whereas in E. vomerinus was positively related. Both species showed a high diet overlap, in which detritus was the most important food item (86% in O. trinitatis and 80% in E. vomerinus ). Feeding activity was more intense during the morning for O. trinitatis but afternoon for E. vomerinus . These behavioural observations support the importance of temporal feeding partitioning as the main strategy allowing species co‐existence in tide pools.