Studies on feeding ecology of fishes are important for understanding ecosystem structure and function. This study tested the hypothesis of diet and niche breath variation in the marbled parrotfish (Leptoscarus vaigiensis) among coral reefs of different protection levels in Kenya. Fish samples were obtained from protected (Malindi and Watamu marine parks), moderately fished (Malindi and Watamu marine reserves) and highly fished (Vipingo and Kanamai) reefs. Total lengths of fish samples were measured and their stomach contents quantified using the point method. Seasonal dietary composition, niche breaths and feeding intensities were compared between the sites using multivariate statistics. Results showed the parrotfish is a predominantly reef macroalgal grazer. Fish from protected sites fed on diverse dietary items compared to those from reserves and highly fished sites. Fish niche breadths differed between sites and seasons. Higher niche breadths occurred in protected sites during the north‐east monsoon, while higher values occurred at fished sites during the south‐east monsoon season. This study, the first of its kind in Kenya and most of the western Indian Ocean, describes feeding in the marbled parrotfish and spatial variation in niche breadth as influenced by fishing pressure, environmental variability and biological interactions.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.