The goatfish Pseudupeneus maculatus and its follower fishes at an oceanic island in the tropical west Atlantic

Abstract

The influence of a substratum-disturbing forager, the spotted goatfish Pseudupeneus maculatus on the assemblage of its escorting, opportunistic-feeding fishes was examined at Fernando de Noronha Archipelago (tropical west Atlantic). Followers attracted to spotted goatfish foraging singly differed from followers of spotted goatfish foraging in groups in several characteristics. The larger the nuclear fish group, the greater the species richness and number of individuals of followers. Moreover, groups of foraging spotted goatfish attracted herbivores, not recorded for spotted goatfish foraging singly. The size of follower individuals increased with the size and the number of foraging spotted goatfish. The zoobenthivorous habits of the spotted goatfish and its ability to disturb a variety of soft substrata render it an important nuclear fish for several follower species of the reef fish assemblage at Fernando de Noronha.

Habitat simplification affects nuclear-follower foraging association among stream fishes

“…For example, Matsumoto & Kohda (2001) observed, in southern Japan, that the performance of repeated bites instead of simple bites by individuals of the reef fish Goniistius zonatus (=Cheilodactylus zonatus) resulted in greater substrate disturbance and, consequently, greater availability of food for the followers, increasing frequency and duration of the feeding association. Similarly, the positive correlation between richness and abundance of followers with abundance of the nuclear reef fish Pseudupeneus maculatus in foraging activity was attributed to the amount of disturbance caused by the nuclear species, which would be greater for large groups than in small groups or for solitary foraging animals (Sazima et al, 2006).…”

“…For example, the selectivity that followers have in relation to nuclear species that generate greater local disturbance (Strand, 1988) that, in turn, varies in function of behavioral and feeding habitat traits (Strand, 1988;Sazima et al, 2006). Although the differences of feeding habits and behavior vary among species, the amount of disturbance caused on the bottom also may to vary within the same species.…”

Gill metazoan parasites of the spotted goatfish Pseudupeneus maculatus (Ostheichthyes: Mullidae) from the Coast of Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil

“…The spotted goatfish Pseudupeneus maculatus (Bloch, 1793) is a marine demersal fish found in coral reefs, foraging mixed substrates of sand, gravel and rock Sazima et al, 2006). It occurs in the West Atlantic, from Bermudas through New Jersey to the State of Santa Catarina, South Brazil (Hostim-Silva et al, 2006).…”

Following food clouds: feeding association between a minute loricariid and a characidiin species in an Atlantic Forest stream, Southeastern Brazil

“…Strand, 1988;Baird, 1993;Silvano, 2001;Sazima & Grossman, 2005;2006a, 2006b). In the Gulf of California, almost half of the resident reef fishes was recorded as follower species (Strand, 1988).…”