Diet choice in a generalist predator, the invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles)

Ritger, Amelia L.; Fountain, C. Tyler; Bourne, Kimberly; Martín‐Fernández, Josep Antoni; Pierotti, Michele E. R.

doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2020.151311

Cited by 17 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…Our Chromis prey can be considered attractive, just as Apogon sp. is for D. zebra [36][37][38], and both were presented in small groups. Prey was behind a transparent barrier in the study by Lönnstedt et al [12], while inside a transparent tube that could be approached from all sides in our study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

No evidence for conspecific recruitment for cooperative hunting in lionfishPterois miles

Sarhan

Bshary

2021

R. Soc. open sci.

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Lionfish are common piscivores in the Indo-Pacific and invasive in the Caribbean. A fin flaring pattern, involving a rapid undulation of the caudal fin and sequential turning of both pectoral fins, was described in zebra lionfish as a signal to initiate cooperative hunting, and it was hypothesized that such hunting tactics may also exist in other lionfish species and contribute to their successful invasion in the Caribbean. Here, we investigated one of those invasive species, Pterois miles , in its natural range in the Red Sea. We did not observe evidence for cooperative hunting in the field. We complemented field observations with a laboratory experiment aimed at inducing subjects to recruit partners for cooperative hunts, exposing subjects to inaccessible prey in transparent housing as well as to a potential partner. We regularly observed the fin flaring pattern, but importantly, it was not directed at the partner. Thus, rather than being a signal, the fin flaring movement pattern seems to be a swimming mode in a confined environment. Furthermore, the two lionfish did not aggregate at the prey housing, reinforcing the field results that this species in the Red Sea does not depend on cooperation to hunt fish.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

No evidence for conspecific recruitment for cooperative hunting in lionfishPterois miles

Sarhan

Bshary

2021

R. Soc. open sci.

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“…For example, predators exert selection on prey populations by preferentially consuming individuals with certain trait values [1][2][3][4][5][6], but also modify community structure by disproportionally consuming one prey species over another [7]. This latter effect is often ascribed to mean, species-level trait differences [8][9][10]. Yet these classic empirical approaches overlook the ecological effects of trait variance within prey populations, an outcome of trait differences among individuals that can vary independently from trait means [11,12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intraspecific Behavioral Variation Mediates Insect Prey Survival via Direct and Indirect Effects

2020

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Conspecific individuals often exhibit behavioral differences that influence susceptibility to predation. Yet, how such trait differences scale to affect prey population regulation and community structure remains unclear. We used an 8 day field mesocosm experiment to explore the effects of intraspecific prey behavioral trait variation on survival in an herbivorous insect community. We further manipulated spider predator composition to test for top-down context-dependence of behavioral effects. Insect prey behavioral trait variance influenced survival through both direct (i.e., variation among conspecifics) and indirect (i.e., variation among heterospecifics) mechanisms. The behavioral variance of two prey species, Philaenus and Orchelimum, directly reduced their survival, though for Philaenus, this direct negative effect only occurred in the presence of a single spider predator species. In contrast, the survival of Scudderia was enhanced by the behavioral trait variance of the surrounding insect community, an indirect positive effect. Taken together, these results emphasize the importance of accounting for intraspecific variation in community ecology, demonstrating novel pathways by which individual-level behavioral differences scale to alter population and community level patterns.

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“…In addition, we lacked of information about invertebrates assemblages from the study area, which also conform an important part of the lionfish diet, and they correspond to the smaller preys. Concordantly, differences in local prey availability are suggested drivers of prey consumption patterns ( Ritger et al, 2020 ). Lionfish appear to consume the most abundant prey regardless of taxonomic category and sizes; to the extreme of radically changing the composition of their diet and taking advantage of the most available preys, in the face of a lack of their most frequent preys ( Muñoz, Currin & Whitfield, 2011 ; Valdez-Moreno et al, 2012 ; Ritger et al, 2020 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feeding ecology of invasive lionfish in the Punta Frances MPA, Cuba: insight into morphological features, diet and management

Río

Navarro-Martínez

Ruiz-Abierno

et al. 2022

PeerJ

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Cuba’s shelf has been invaded by lionfish (Pterois volitans/Pterois miles), which have become established over the archipelago, including areas of natural importance. The present study aims to evaluate morphometric features of lionfish and to explore the relationship between lionfish size and diet composition in different habitats in the Punta Frances National Park, Cuba. In total 620 lionfish were captured at 29 sites between 2013 and 2016. Lionfish stomachs were removed and their contents were analyzed using frequency and numerical methods. The length-weight allomentric relationship was obtained, and a decrease in lionfish sizes was shown over time, likely due to the extractions carried out. The diet was composed by fishes, crustaceans, mollusks and phytobenthos, with a predominance of fishes. Lionfish caught in seagrass beds tended to be smaller in size and consumed fewer fishes and more crustaceans than those captured in coral reefs. A positive correlation was observed between lionfish body size and gape size; however, no significant correlation was detected between lionfish body size and prey size. Larger lionfish tended to consume more fishes, while crustaceans were more significant in the diet of juvenile lionfish. This is the first study that examines the feeding habits of lionfish in the Punta Frances MPA, and provides valuable information on lionfish inhabiting this MPA across four years of sampling. Furthermore, this research may serve as a baseline for subsequent evaluations of lionfish impact and management actions in the area.

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Diet choice in a generalist predator, the invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles)

Cited by 17 publications

References 67 publications

No evidence for conspecific recruitment for cooperative hunting in lionfishPterois miles

No evidence for conspecific recruitment for cooperative hunting in lionfishPterois miles

Intraspecific Behavioral Variation Mediates Insect Prey Survival via Direct and Indirect Effects

Feeding ecology of invasive lionfish in the Punta Frances MPA, Cuba: insight into morphological features, diet and management

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