Pomacentridae; Trophic niche; diet; ontogeny; individual level; Madagascar; coral reef fishes; density effect; group effect; stable isotopes; stomach contents
Abstract :
[en] Intrapopulation diet specializations may result from the use of different dietary items or foraging tactics by individuals within a single population. The damselfish, Dascyllus aruanus, is a highly site-attached coral reef fish living in size hierarchies among branched corals. The trophic niche width and feeding specialization of this species were explored using stable isotopes and stomach content analyses. Intra-group niche variation was mainly related to fish size. Within social groups, D. aruanus gradually shifted its foraging tactics according to size; smaller fish fed on benthic prey such as isopods and copepods, and the larger fish foraged in the water column on planktonic copepods and larger-sized prey. Group density was found to explain some variation in trophic niche characteristics; greater specialization on prey size was observed in the colony having the highest density. All members of the largest colony foraged more frequently in the water column. Knowing that planktonic copepods are more energy-rich than benthic ones, a positive group-size effect facilitating access to preferred prey is suggested. Group size and group density effects on trophic specialization did not have any impact on body condition, suggesting that the behavioral plasticity of D. aruanus in its foraging strategies permits compensation for the maintenance of body conditions.
Research Center/Unit :
FOCUS - Freshwater and OCeanic science Unit of reSearch - ULiège
Frederich, Bruno ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences et gestion de l'environnement > Département des sciences et gestion de l'environnement
Lehanse, Olivier
Vandewalle, Pierre ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences et gestion de l'environnement > Morphologie fonctionnelle et évolutive
Lepoint, Gilles ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences et gestion de l'environnement > Océanologie
Language :
English
Title :
Trophic niche width, shift, and specialization of Dascyllus aruanus in Toliara lagoon, Madagascar
Publication date :
May 2010
Journal title :
Copeia
ISSN :
0045-8511
Publisher :
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Business Office, Charleston, United States - West Virginia
Volume :
2010
Issue :
2
Pages :
218-226
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Funders :
F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique
Funding text :
This study was funded by the Belgian National Fund for Scientific
Research (FRS-FNRS; FRFC contract no. 2.4.583.05).
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