Superposición de la dieta del pez león Pterois volitans (Teleostei: Scorpaenidae) con la de peces nativos de nivel trófico similar en Cuba

Abstract

The spread of the Indo-Pacific lionfish has been one of the most rapid marine fish invasions in the history of the tropical and subtropical western Atlantic, and populations of this species pose a threat to native fishes feeding at similar trophic levels due to competition for food. To determine dietary overlap, 899 lionfish and 377 native fishes of the families Haemulidae, Holocentridae, Serranidae and Lutjanidae were caught in three Cuban localities, and their stomach contents were analyzed based on the number of items, frequency, volume and index of relative importance. Diet composition was similar in the studied localities; Lutjanidae, Serranidae and lionfish mainly fed on fish while Haemulidae and Holocentridae primarily consumed small benthic invertebrates. Mantel correlations showed that the consumption of fish and crustaceans did not increase as lionfish increased in size. The degree of dietary overlap between lionfish and some native fishes depends on locality, ecological zone and the characteristics of each family, confirming the opportunistic nature of the invader. It is likely that native fishes are not affected by competition with lionfish for food because they feed on the mostabundant and available organisms; therefore, food availability is not a limiting factor for these groups.

Biología y ecología del pez león (Pterois volitans) en el Parque Nacional Natural Corales de Profundidad, Caribe colombiano

“…These two families have species that are observed in the CPNNP with occasional to common abundances (Chasqui-Velasco and González-Corredor, 2019). The importance of the Penaeidae family in the lionfish's diet coincides with findings in other studies (Pantoja-Echevarría et al, 2017;Acero P. et al, 2019). It was found in Cuba that large-size individuals mainly consumed penaeid shrimp (Pantoja-Echevarría et al, 2017).…”

“…Las diferencias isotópicas entre zonas someras y profundas pueden ser reflejo de cambios en la estructura de la comunidad arrecifal en diversos taxones y de su baja The food items found in the stomach analyses have been previously found in the USA, Bahamas, Bermuda, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean, where lionfish's diet is mainly made up of teleostean and crustaceans Muñoz et al, 2011;Dahl and Patterson, 2014;Sandel et al, 2015;Eddy et al, 2016;Acero P. et al, 2019). The most important fish families, Acanthuridae and Monacanthidae, have been also recorded as preys in other studies in the Caribbean, but with lower numerical importance (Muñoz et al, 2011;Pantoja-Echevarría et al, 2017;Acero P. et al, 2019), possibly due to the fact that they were found less frequently in the stomachs. These two families have species that are observed in the CPNNP with occasional to common abundances (Chasqui-Velasco and González-Corredor, 2019).…”

“…Los ítems alimentarios encontrados en los análisis estomacales han sido previamente hallados en Estados Unidos, Bahamas, Bermudas, Golfo de México y el Caribe, donde la dieta del pez león está constituida principalmente por teleósteos y crustáceos Muñoz et al, 2011;Dahl y Patterson, 2014;Sandel et al, 2015;Eddy et al, 2016;Acero P. et al, 2019). Las familias de peces con mayor la importancia, Acanthuridae y Monacanthidae, han sido también registradas como presas en otros estudios en el Caribe, pero con una menor importancia numérica (Muñoz et al, 2011;Pantoja-Echevarría et al, 2017;Acero P. et al, 2019), posiblemente debido a que se encontraban en menor frecuencia en los estómagos. Estas dos familias tienen especies que son observadas en el PNNCP con abundancias de ocasionales a comunes (Chasqui-Velasco y González-Corredor, 2019).…”

“…Estas dos familias tienen especies que son observadas en el PNNCP con abundancias de ocasionales a comunes (Chasqui-Velasco y González-Corredor, 2019). La importancia de la familia Penaeidae en la dieta del pez león, coincide con lo encontrado en otros estudios (Pantoja-Echevarría et al, 2017;Acero P. et al, 2019). En Cuba, se encontró que los individuos de tallas grandes consumieron principalmente camarones penéidos (Pantoja-Echevarría et al, 2017).…”

“…La importancia de la familia Penaeidae en la dieta del pez león, coincide con lo encontrado en otros estudios (Pantoja-Echevarría et al, 2017;Acero P. et al, 2019). En Cuba, se encontró que los individuos de tallas grandes consumieron principalmente camarones penéidos (Pantoja-Echevarría et al, 2017).…”