Diet composition and feeding ecology of the naked goby Gobiosoma bosc (Gobiidae) from four western Atlantic estuaries

2014 ◽  
Vol 85 (2) ◽  
pp. 355-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. C. D'Aguillo ◽  
A. S. Harold ◽  
T. L. Darden
Keyword(s):  
Feeding Ecology ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Western Atlantic ◽  
Naked Goby ◽  
Gobiosoma Bosc

scholarly journals Distribution and population structure in the naked goby Gobiosoma bosc (Perciformes: Gobiidae) along a salinity gradient in two western Atlantic estuaries

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e5380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher S. Moore ◽  
Matthew J. Ruocchio ◽  
April M.H. Blakeslee
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
North Carolina ◽  
Population Structure ◽  
Gene Flow ◽  
Salinity Gradient ◽  
Western Atlantic ◽  
Widespread Species ◽  
Naked Goby ◽  
Gobiosoma Bosc ◽  
Scale Population

Many species of fish produce larvae that undergo a prolonged dispersal phase. However, evidence from a number of recent studies on demersal fishes suggests that the dispersal of propagules may not be strongly correlated with gene flow. Instead, other factors like larval behavior and the availability of preferred settlement habitat may be more important to maintaining population structure. We used an ecologically important benthic fish species, Gobiosoma bosc (naked goby), to investigate local and regional scale population structure and gene flow along a salinity gradient (∼3 ppt to ∼18 ppt) in two North Carolina estuaries. G. bosc is an abundant and geographically widespread species that requires complex but patchy microhabitat (e.g. oyster reefs, rubble, woody debris) for reproduction and refuge. We sequenced 155 fish from 10 sites, using a common barcoding gene (COI). We also included recent sequence data from GenBank to determine how North Carolina populations fit into the larger biogeographic understanding of this species. In North Carolina, we found a significant amount of gene flow within and between estuaries. Our analysis also showed high predicted genetic diversity based upon a large number of rare haplotypes found within many of our sampled populations. Moreover, we detected a number of new haplotypes in North Carolina that had not yet been observed in prior work. Sampling along a salinity gradient did not reveal any significant positive or negative correlations between salinity and genetic diversity, nor the proportion of singleton haplotypes, with the exception of a positive correlation between salinity standard deviation and genetic diversity. We also found evidence that an introduced European population of naked gobies may have originated from an Atlantic source population. Altogether, this system offers a compelling way to evaluate whether factors other than dispersal per se mediate recruitment in an estuarine-dependent species of fish with a larval dispersal phase. It also demonstrates the importance of exploring both smaller and larger scale population structure in marine organisms to better understand local and regional patterns of population connectivity and gene flow.

Feeding ecology of invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans and Pterois miles) in the temperate and tropical western Atlantic

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Carlos Villaseñor-Derbez
Keyword(s):  
Feeding Ecology ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Pterois Volitans ◽  
Western Atlantic ◽  
Large Variability ◽  
Marine Food Webs ◽  
Pterois Miles ◽  
Prey Mass ◽  
Invasive Lionfish

Numerous location-based diet studies have been published describing different aspects of invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans and Pterois miles) feeding ecology, but there has been no synthesis of their diet composition and feeding patterns across regional gradients. 8125 lionfish stomachs collected from 10 locations were analyzed to provide a generalized description of their feeding ecology at a regional scale and to compare their diet among locations. Our regional data indicate lionfish in the western Atlantic are opportunistic generalist carnivores that consume at least 167 vertebrate and invertebrate prey species across multiple trophic guilds, and carnivorous fish and shrimp prey that are not managed fishery species and not considered at risk of extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature disproportionately dominate their diet. Correlations between lionfish size and their diet composition indicate lionfish in the western Atlantic transition from a shrimp-dominated diet to a fish-dominated diet through ontogeny. Lionfish total length (TL) (mm) was found to predict mean prey mass per stomach (g) by the following equation mean prey mass = 0.0002 × TL^1.6391, which can be used to estimate prey biomass consumption from lionfish length-frequency data. Our locational comparisons indicate lionfish diet varies considerably among locations, even at the group (e.g., crab) and trophic guild levels. The Modified Index of Relative Importance developed specifically for this study, calculated as the frequency of prey a × the number of prey a, can be used in other diet studies to assess prey importance when prey mass data are not available. Researchers and managers can use the diet data presented in this study to make inference about lionfish feeding ecology in areas where their diet has yet to be described. These data can be used to guide research and monitoring efforts, and can be used in modeling exercises to simulate the potential effects of lionfish on marine food webs. Given the large variability in lionfish diet composition among locations, this study highlights the importance of continued location-based diet assessments to better inform local management activities.

Diet composition and feeding ecology of Nibea albiflora in Xiangshan Bay, east China Sea

2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 1284-1292
Author(s):  
Nan LIN ◽  
Yazhou JIANG ◽  
Xingwei YUAN ◽  
Jing GUO ◽  
Jianzhong LING ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
East China Sea ◽  
Feeding Ecology ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
East China ◽  
China Sea ◽  
Xiangshan Bay ◽  
Nibea Albiflora

Summer diet composition and feeding ecology of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) in Guanjing Yang

2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 94-104
Author(s):  
Jiayi XU ◽  
Jiajie CHEN ◽  
Fengge TIAN ◽  
Zhaoli XU
Keyword(s):  
Feeding Ecology ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Large Yellow Croaker ◽  
Larimichthys Crocea

scholarly journals Feeding ecology of Serrasalmus gouldingi (Characiformes: Serrasalmidae) in the lower Anapu River region, Eastern Amazon, Brazil

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 259-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno da S. PRUDENTE ◽  
Pedro CARNEIRO-MARINHO ◽  
Roberta de M. VALENTE ◽  
Luciano F. de A. MONTAG
Keyword(s):  
Feeding Ecology ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Niche Breadth ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Flood Pulse ◽  
Feeding Intensity ◽  
High Tendency ◽  
Flood Season ◽  
River Region ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Studies on feeding ecology of fishes are important to understand the relationship between species and environmental seasonal variations. In tropical rivers, these relationships are mainly modeled by hydrological patterns. Thereby, this study aimed to assess the influence of fluviometric variation and life stage (juveniles and adults) in the feeding ecology of Serrasalmus gouldingi in the lower Anapu River region, located in Eastern Amazon, Pará, Brazil. Specimens were collected bimonthly, considering four different hydrological periods. We assessed the diet composition, feeding intensity and niche breadth of the species. Thirty-two dietary items were identified and grouped into ten categories. A total of 279 stomachs were analyzed, showing a predominance of fish fragments, followed by fruits and seeds. The diet composition of S. gouldingi differed only between drought and flood season, although it did not differ between juveniles and adults. An increase in feeding intensity was recorded during the rise in the water level, with a lower feeding intensity observed during transitional season. Serrasalmus gouldingi showed lower niche breadth during flood season, attributed to the high consumption of fruits and seeds, presenting an omnivorous diet with high tendency towards piscivory. Although less evident than in other Amazon watersheds, the flood pulse in the lower Anapu River region is an important factor influencing the feeding ecology of the species.

Ontogeny of Otolith Formation in Two Demersal Estuarine Reef Fishes

2018 ◽  
Vol 134 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle J Hoffman ◽  
Juliana M Harding
Keyword(s):  
Oyster Reef ◽  
Larval Fish ◽  
Fish Larvae ◽  
Reef Fishes ◽  
Allometric Model ◽  
Benthic Habitats ◽  
Ambient Temperatures ◽  
Total Length ◽  
Naked Goby ◽  
Gobiosoma Bosc

Abstract Planktonic reef fish larvae locate and orient to reefs during settlement. Consequently, metamorphosis occurs in appropriate juvenile and/or adult habitats. Larval fish use otoliths for hearing (sagittae and asterisci) as well as equilibrium (lapilli) required for directional swimming. Striped blenny (Chasmodes bosquianus) and naked goby (Gobiosoma bosc) larvae, settled individuals, and juveniles were used to describe otolith ontogeny from hatching through settlement, the transition from pelagic to benthic habitats, and metamorphosis. Larvae hatched from nests collected in North Inlet estuary, SC, were cultured from May through July in 2012 and 2013 at ambient temperatures. Sagittae and lapilli were present at hatching in both species. Asterisci were only observed in settlement (gobies and blennies) or metamorphosis (blennies) stage fishes, regardless of age (days post-hatch). Otoliths within a pair were symmetrical. Fish total length increased faster than sagittae otolith length in settlement stage blennies and postflexion gobies. The allometric model explained ∼90% of the variability in sagittae otolith length with total length for both species. Settlement occurred 15–20 days post-hatch in striped blennies and 19–27 days post-hatch in naked gobies. Asterisci were found in 100% of settlement stage striped blennies and 67% of naked gobies. We hypothesize that the presence of asterisci in settlement stage demersal oyster reef fishes facilitates identification of and orientation to suitable settlement habitats thereby enhancing recruitment success.

scholarly journals Diet composition and some observations on the feeding ecology of the rhizostome Rhopilema nomadica in Israeli coastal waters

2020 ◽  
Vol 100 (5) ◽  
pp. 681-689
Author(s):  
Z. Kuplik ◽  
D. L. Angel
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Feeding Ecology ◽  
Coastal Waters ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Gut Contents ◽  
Bell Diameter ◽  
Marine Food Web ◽  
Marine Food ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
Predatory Pressure

AbstractSince the mid-1980s, swarms of the rhizostome Rhopilema nomadica have been an annual phenomenon in Israeli Mediterranean coastal waters during the summer months. Despite its annual prominence and the potential impact on food webs and ecosystem services, studies concerning its feeding ecology and its interactions with other biota in the marine food web have not been conducted. During summer 2015 gut contents of 41 R. nomadica were analysed as well as ambient plankton assemblages. More than 60% of the medusae diet was found to consist of microzooplankton <150 μm. Size correlations revealed that larger R. nomadica consumed faster swimming prey while smaller medusae relied more on the slower swimming taxa. The medusan diet reflected most of the ambient plankton taxa, but no statistically significant correlations between the relative abundance in diet and ambient plankton were found. As summer progressed, there was a gradual decrease in both mean medusa bell diameter (from 42.2–16 cm) and integrity of feeding structures. These findings suggest that R. nomadica, at least at the time of its appearance in Israeli coastal waters, may exert less predatory pressure on the plankton than we might otherwise expect.

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