Cleaning Activity of Juvenile Angelfish, Pomacanthus paru, on the Reefs of the Abrolhos Archipelago, Western South Atlantic |
| |
Authors: | Ivan Sazima Rodrigo L Moura Cristina Sazima |
| |
Institution: | (1) Departamento de Zoologia and Museu de História Natural, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Caixa Postal 6109, 13083-970 Campinas, São Paulo, Brasil (e-mail;(2) Seção de Peixes, Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, Caixa Postal 42694, 04299-970 São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil |
| |
Abstract: | Studies on fish cleaning symbiosis in the tropical western Atlantic concentrate on specialized cleaner gobies and wrasses. On the reefs of the Abrolhos Archipelago, off the eastern Brazilian coast, juvenile french angelfish, Pomacanthus paru, clean a rich and varied community of fish clients. We recorded 31 reef fish species, including large predators such as groupers, jacks, and morays, being serviced by the french angelfish on cleaning stations situated mostly on seagrass flats. The angelfish performs a characteristic fluttering swimming at the station and, during cleaning events, touches the body of the clients with its pelvic fins. Frequency of encounters between the cleaner and its clients do not reflect the local abundance of client species; most of these move from the reefs to the sand flats to be cleaned. We found no correlation between client size and duration of cleaning events. The conspicuous black and yellow pattern, the fluttering swimming, the tenure of cleaning stations, the physical contact with the client, and the varied community of clients, qualify the juveniles of P. paru as specialized cleaners comparable to the gobies of the genus Elacatinus. |
| |
Keywords: | Pomacanthidae cleaning symbiosis cleaning stations fish clients feeding habits client abundance eastern Brazil |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|