The ecology of Altrichthys azurelineatus and A. curatus, two damselfishes that lack a pelagic larval phase

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• 作者：Giacomo Bernardi ; Nicole L. Crane ; Gary C. Longo…
• 关键词：Altrichthys azurelineatus ; Altrichthys curatus ; Acanthochromis polyacanthus ; Apelagic fishes
• 刊名：Environmental Biology of Fishes
• 出版年：2017
• 出版时间：February 2017
• 年：2017
• 卷：100
• 期：2
• 页码：111-120
• 全文大小：
• 刊物类别：Earth and Environmental Science
• 刊物主题：Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Zoology; Animal Systematics/Taxonomy/ Biogeography; Environment, general; Nature Conservation;
• 出版者：Springer Netherlands
• ISSN：1573-5133
• 卷排序：100

文摘

Out of more than 380 species of damselfish, only three lack a pelagic larval phase, Acanthochromis polyacanthus, that ranges from the Philippines to the Great Barrier Reef, and two species in the genus Altrichthys, A. azurelineatus and A. curatus, that are restricted to the Calamian Archipelago (Palawan province) in the Philippines. Therefore in a very restricted geographic area, northern Palawan, Philippines, all three species co-occur. The goal of this study was to fill a knowledge gap about the ecology of Altrichthys, where very little is currently known. Using census and behavioral approaches at 14 sites on six islands, we were able to identify adult densities, nest densities, nesting habitat preference, and brood behavior and abundance. We found that densities were very high (more than 17 individuals/100 m2 for one species) and A. azurelineatus may be displacing A. curatus at deeper depths where habitat seems of higher quality. Only one out of 14 surveyed sites contained only one species, Altrichthys curatus. Different habitat use and feeding behavior suggest that niche partitioning may play an important role in the life history of these sympatric species.