Marine Biodiversity Records

Table of Contents - Volume 5 - 2012  

Research Article

Feeding association between reef fishes and the fire coral Millepora spp. (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa)

Pedro Henrique C. Pereiraa1 c1, Isabela Carolina S. Leala1, Maria Elisabeth de Araújoa1 and Allan T. Souzaa2a3

a1 Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Departamento de Oceanografia, Avenida Arquitetura, s/n, Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE, 50670-901, Brazil

a2 CIMAR/CIIMAR (Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental), Universidade do Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123, Portugal

a3 ICBAS (Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar), Universidade do Porto, Lg. Prof. Abel Salazar, 2, 4099-003 Porto, Portugal

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the feeding association between coral reef fishes and the hydrozoan Millepora spp. in two different reef systems (Tamandaré reefs and Fernando de Noronha archipelago) of Pernambuco State (north-eastern Brazil). A total of eight reef fish species, predominantly juveniles, were recorded feeding on colonies of Millepora spp. during 35 records. The highest recorded feeding rate was 1.72 ± 0.87 bites.minute-1 for Sparisoma axillare and the lowest was 0.18 ± 0.40 bites.minute-1 for Stegastes rocasensis. The colony structure of the genus Millepora supports a high diversity of microfaunal and macrofaunal invertebrates, which may result in the frequent foraging behaviour observed here.

(Received January 19 2012)

(Accepted January 25 2012)

Keywords

Correspondence:

c1 Correspondence should be addressed to: P.H.C. Pereira, Departamento de Oceanografia, CTG, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Avenida Arquitetura, s/n, Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE, 50670-901, Brazil email: pedrohcp2@yahoo.com.br