Shelter utilization by Gobius cruentatus and Thorogobius ephippiatus (Teleostei: Gobiidae)

Recruits of Lipophrys pholis, Coryphoblennius galerita and Gobius cobitis spend the low tide under water in pools, and in the case of G. cobitis also in channels. The pools used by the two blenniids show greater similarity than those used by G. cobitis. Larger juveniles and adults of C. galerita continue to use the same type of pools, which are temporarily abandoned by the males during the breeding season when they use emersed holes and crevices as nests. The much faster growing L. pholis and G. cobitis leave the pools in their first autumn, when they are c. 7 cm long. Whereas G. cobitis >7 cm move to channels and large upper pools, with a smooth substratum, sand and boulders, L. pholis begin to use emersed crevices where they spend low tide often in large groups. When L. pholis or C. galerita were added or removed selectively from pools, their numbers returned to pre-experimental levels after 2 weeks, suggesting that, although intraspecific competition may be strong, interspecific competition was unlikely to explain these results fully. 2001 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles

Section: Temporal and Ontogenetic Patterns Of Occurrence Of The Fishesupporting

confidence: 78%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microhabitat segregation in three rocky intertidal fish species in Portugal: does it reflect interspecific competition?

Faria¹

2001

“…Rocky subtidal habitats provide a range of shelters and refuges (Costello, 1992;Wilkins & Myers, 1993) in varying degrees depending on the nature and complexity of the substratum. Visual access to such refuges can be difficult and the view is often highly obscured, making accurate assessment of individuals Aug 1995Feb 1997Dec 1996Oct 1996Aug 1996Jun 1996Apr 1996Feb 1996Dec 1995Oct 1995 (b) Dec 1997Oct 1997Aug 1997Jun 1997Apr 1997Feb 1998Dec 1998Oct 1998Aug 1998Jun 1998Apr 1998Feb 1999Dec 1999Oct 1999Aug 1999Jun 1999Apr 1999 15.0 within refuges difficult (Miller et al, 1973;Costello, 1992).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal and interannual variation in fish assemblages of northern temperate rocky subtidal habitats

Magill

Sayer

2002

Fish assemblages on two inshore rocky subtidal sites on the west coast of Scotland, were studied using diver visual surveys on a monthly basis between September 1995 and December 1999. A total of 17 689 fishes and 26 species were recorded from the two sites, Saulmore Point (056 27 N; 005 24 W) near Oban and Davy's Rock (055 46 N; 004 53 W) on the Isle of Great Cumbrae. The gobiid Thorogobius eppiphiatus, dominated the Saulmore Point site; six fish species accounted for >93% of total abundance at that site. At Davy's Rock four species contributed at least 93% of total fish abundance, and the dominant species was the labrid Ctenolabrus rupestris. Total abundance of the dominant species displayed a clear seasonal trend, and this was significantly related to recorded daily average seawater temperature. A maximum abundance of 4·9 fishes m 2 was recorded in November 1998 at Davy's Rock and 2·5 fishes m 2 at Saulmore Point in October 1998. Multivariate analysis indicated a degree of variation in assemblage structure between winter and summer at both sites. A number of species showed some degree of interannual variation, in particular the gobiid Gobiusculus flavescens whose abundance increased by over 300 times over a 5 month period in 1998. Correlation analysis showed that variation in annual winter seawater temperature could act as an indicator of interannual variation in abundance of some of the dominant species utilizing rocky subtidal habitats.

“…In contrast, shelter availability in the other zones is patchily distributed and dependent on the number and size of existing cracks and holes in solid substrata. Many species use shelter holes of similar size to their own body (Hixon & Beets, 1989Wilkins & Myers, 1993;Friedlander & Parrish, 1998). The abundance of some coral reef fishes is positively related to the density of shelter provided by the substratum (Shulman, 1984;Roberts & Ormond, 1987;Buchheim & Hixon, 1992;Friedlander & Parrish, 1998), and the number of appropriately sized refuges can limit recruitment, survivorship, and fish abundance (Shulman, 1984;Hixon & Beets, 1989Buchheim & Hixon, 1992;Holbrook & Schmitt, 2002;Forrester & Steele, 2004).…”

Section: Spatial Abundance Patterns and The Potential Role Of Substrmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial and temporal patterns of abundance of coral reef gobies (Teleostei: Gobiidae)

Hernaman

Probert

2008

This study investigated the spatial and temporal patterns of abundance of four substratumassociated species of Gobiidae on a heterogeneous reef flat comprised of four distinct habitat zones, and examined microhabitat use within each zone. Asterropteryx semipunctatus had the widest distribution and was the most abundant species in each habitat zone, followed by Amblygobius bynoensis, Valenciennea muralis and Amblygobius phalaena. Significant temporal and spatial differences in mean density were evident. The highest density of A. semipunctatus (312 individuals 10 m -2 ) was recorded in a habitat zone dominated by algal-covered rubble, whereas A. bynoensis and V. muralis were most abundant (mean summer density 5Á5-5Á8 individuals 10 m -2 ) in habitats containing both sand and hard substrata. In contrast, A. phalaena was uncommon (mean density 0Á4 individuals 10 m -2 ) in all four habitat zones. Significant seasonal differences in abundance were due to the large influx of recruits in summer. Ontogenetic shifts in habitat use were not evident at either the macrohabitat (i.e. among habitat zones) or microhabitat scale (i.e. substratum use within zones). At the microhabitat scale, V. muralis consistently exhibited a strong positive association with sand and was rarely associated with hard substrata. In contrast, the two Amblygobius species were commonly associated with both sand and hard substrata, but patterns of microhabitat use differed among habitat zones. Substratum composition at the microhabitat scale may influence spatial patterns of abundance at larger spatial scales by providing essential resources and, or influencing carrying capacity and predation risk.