Abstract
To clarify the feeding habits of fishes in tropical seagrass beds on coral reefs, the gut contents of 53 fish species, collected in an Enhauls acoroides-dominated bed at Iriomote Island, southern Japan, were examined. Ontogenetic changes in food preference were recognized in 9 species, including lethrinids, mullids, pomacentrids, labrids, and scarids. Cluster analysis based on dietary overlaps showed that the seagrass fish assemblage comprised seven feeding guilds (small-crustacean, large-crustacean, plant, detritus, hard-shelled mollusc, fish, and planktonic-animal feeders). Of these, small-crustacean feeders were the most abundantly represented. On the other hand, planktonic-animal and hard-shelled mollusc feeders were each represented by only two species. Compared with previous studies on the feeding habits of temperate seagrass fishes, the present fish assemblage was characterized by larger species numbers of detritivores, herbivores, and piscivores and fewer planktonic-animal feeders.
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Received: February 18, 2002 / Revised: July 29, 2002 / Accepted: August 21, 2002
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ID="*" Present address: Research Center for Coastal Lagoon Environments, Shimane University, 1060 Nishikawatsu-cho, Matsue, Shimane 690-8504, Japan
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ID="**" Present address: JICA/JOCV Jamaica Office, 8th Floor, Island Life Centre 6, St. Lucia Avenue, Kingston 5, Jamaica
Acknowledgments We are grateful to Hiroyoshi Kohno, Hiroyuki Yokochi, Ken Sakihara, Nagahiro Nakazato, and the Okinawa Regional Research Center, Tokai University, for assisting in the fieldwork. Constructive comments on the manuscript from Hisashi Kurokura, Kou Ikejima, Graham Hardy, and two anonymous reviewers were much appreciated. This study was funded by a grant from the Okinawa Regional Research Center (No. 01-001), and made possible by a contribution from the Okinawa Regional Research Center.
Correspondence to:Yohei Nakamura
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Nakamura, Y., Horinouchi, M., Nakai, T. et al. Food habits of fishes in a seagrass bed on a fringing coral reef at Iriomote Island, southern Japan. Ichthyol Res 50, 0015–0022 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s102280300002
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s102280300002