Spectral sensitivity of larval and juvenile coral reef fishes: implications for feeding in a variable light environment

Abstract

The spectral sensitivity of larval and juvenile stages of 3 species of coral reef fishes, Apogon compressus (Apogonidae), Pomacentrus amboinensis (Pomacentridae) and Premnas biaculeatus (Pomacentridae) has been investigated using feeding behaviour. Ontogenetic and taxonomic differences in spectral sensitivity were determined by establishing the minimum light intensity at which larvae and juveniles could strike prey at 12 restricted wavelength bands between 355 and 650 nm. Following construction of chromatic action spectra, the wavelength of maximum sensitivity (λ max ) and the median wavelength (λP 50 ) of the 3 species were found to be located close to 500 nm. All 3 species increased in sensitivity during growth, with A. compressus becoming the most sensitive prior to settlement. Ontogenetic shifts in spectral sensitivity towards longer wavelengths occurred in P. amboinensis and P. biaculeatus, but not in A. compressus. Spectral efficiency (wavelength-dependent efficiency of photon capture) was modelled for eutrophic and oligotrophic coral reef waters (Jerlov types Oceanic IA, Oceanic III and Coastal 1) at 2 different optical depths. Spectral efficiency was highest in the intermediate coral reef water type (JOIII) in all 3 larval fish taxa throughout early ontogeny, regardless of water depth. The results imply that the larvae would be able to feed across a broad spectrum of coral reef water types and depths.KEY WORDS: Colour vision · Chromatic action spectrum · Feeding behaviour · Ontogeny · Pomacentridae · Apogonidae Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherMar Ecol Prog Ser 214: [267][268][269][270][271][272][273][274][275][276][277] 2001 to short wavelengths than closely related species from 'greener' eutrophic waters (Lythgoe et al. 1994). Similarly, the spectral positioning of double cones and the increasingly monochromatic short wavelength-shifted light environment of deeper waters appear to be correlated (Bowmaker et al. 1994).During the pelagic stage, larvae of coral reef fish may be transported by hydrographic processes across a range of water types (Williams et al. 1984, Doherty et al. 1995, Roberts 1997 and it is also known that there are depth-specific habitats for different larval taxa. For example, apogonids live at deeper depths than pomacentrids (Leis 1991a,b, 1993, Boehlert et al. 1992. Thus, both the spectral characteristics and light intensity of the ambient light environment the larvae of different taxa experience will differ from each other as well as from that of the reef-associated adults. However, nothing is known about inter-specific differences in the spectral sensitivity of coral reef fish during larval stages, and it is inappropriate to reconcile adaptations of adults to the variable conditions experienced by larvae (Warner 1997).Many marine teleosts hatch with a rudimentary visual system, with only 1 type of photoreceptor, and during the subsequent pelagic larval stage the structure of the eye undergoes rapid changes as the adult com...

Undisturbed swimming behaviour and nocturnal activity of coral reef fish larvae

“…Batty 1987). Adult marine fishes are insensitive to wavelengths greater than 750 nm (Levine & MacNichol 1982), and it appears that reef fish larvae are also insensitive to infrared light throughout development (Job & Shand 2001). Larvae were filmed twice during the day (1 to 3 h after 'lights-on' and 1 to 3 h before 'lights-off') and twice during the night (1 to 2 h after 'lights-off' and 1 to 2 h before 'lights-on'), with each filming period lasting 10 to 15 min.…”

Prey Tracking by Larval Zebrafish: Axial Kinematics and Visual Control

“…Herring larvae alter their prey capture behavior depending on the light intensity: they fi lter-feed in total darkness but rely on biting at higher light intensities [Batty et al, 1990]. There is evidence that many teleost species require light to feed [Blaxter, 1968;Job and Bellwood, 1996;Pettigrew et al, 2000;Downing and Litvak, 2001;Job and Shand, 2001;Neuhauss, 2003]. Visual fi xation prior to prey capture has been suggested in Atlantic salmon alevins [Coughlin, 1991] as well as larval carp [Drost and van den Boogaart, 1986] and visual information might be integrated with other sensory modalities during different phases of a prey capture sequence [New et al, 2001].…”

Ontogeny of air-motion sensing in cricket

“…Given that resource consumption and predation risk are generally related to body size, many species undergo significant shifts in food or habitat use as they grow (Werner and Gilliam, 1984;Heming, 2003) and show substantial commensurate developmental adjustment of their sensory equipment. Shift in sensitivity and signal coding during ontogeny has been recorded in a variety of taxa and senses including anuran and fish vision (Jaeger and Hailman, 1976;Job and Shand, 2001), mammal olfaction (Doty et al, 1984), mammal and fish hearing (Rubel, 1984;Kenyon, 1996) and fish electroreception (Denizot et al, 1998). In particular, sensors involved in the detection of predators represent interesting models in which to examine the functional consequences of change in sensory morphology during development.…”