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Protein and Nitrogen Assimilation as a Factor in Predicting the Seasonal Macroalgal Diet of the Monkeyface Prickleback
Author(s) -
Horn Michael H.,
Neighbors Margaret A.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
transactions of the american fisheries society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1548-8659
pISSN - 0002-8487
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8659(1984)113<388:panaaa>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - algae , biology , assimilation (phonology) , nitrogen , seasonality , botany , ecology , chemistry , organic chemistry , linguistics , philosophy
The monkeyface prickleback Cebidichthys violaceus was fed monospecific diets of eight species of its preferred macroalgae each month (as available) for 1 year (May 1982‐April 1983). Assimilation efficiencies were mostly above 70% for both protein and nitrogen despite considerable variation in these two constituents with respect to dietary species and season. Thus, the greatest amounts of protein and nitrogen are assimilated by this fish from algal species with the highest protein and nitrogen contents (the annual red algae Porphyra perforata, Microcladia coulteri, and Smithora naiadum). These are also the algae that have been shown to rank highest in laboratory preference experiments. Nevertheless, other species with lower protein and nitrogen contents are frequently more abundant in the diets of wild monkeyface pricklebacks. Additional factors, such as algal availability, must be considered in prediction of this fishˈs diet. Received December 7, 1983 Accepted April 8, 1984