Department of Ecology, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Reef System Ecology and Conservation Laboratory, Department de Biologia Marinha, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil.
J Fish Biol. 2019 Sep;95(3):812-819. doi: 10.1111/jfb.14075. Epub 2019 Jul 9.
This study evaluated the functional role of the highly generalist omnivore Melichthys niger in the remote St. Peter and St Paul's Archipelago (SPSPA), Brazil, where grazing herbivorous fishes are very scarce. We analysed patterns of distribution from zero to 30 m deep during three time intervals during the day and sampled different aspects of their feeding behaviour, including diel feeding rate, feeding substrate and diet. The density of M. niger increased with depth (26-30 m) and decreased by the end of the day. Although M. niger did not present a typical herbivore diel feeding pattern, they targeted the epilithic algal matrix as their primary feeding substrate, ingesting predominantly algae and detritus. The characteristic Caulerpa racemosa var. peltata from SPSPA was ingested only as detached fronds. We suggest that in the isolated SPSPA, the single species M. niger may perform a unique role as a link between benthic primary production and higher levels. Further studies on the trophic ecology of omnivorous species are necessary to better understand their roles in a reef system, especially in impoverished areas where they are likely to play a crucial role.
本研究评估了高度泛食性杂食鱼类黑鲷在巴西圣彼得和圣保罗群岛偏远地区（SPSPA）的功能作用，该地区缺乏草食性鱼类。我们分析了白天三个时间间隔内从 0 到 30 米深处的分布模式，并采样了其摄食行为的不同方面，包括昼夜摄食率、摄食基质和饮食。黑鲷的密度随深度增加（26-30 米），并在一天结束时减少。尽管黑鲷没有表现出典型的草食性昼夜摄食模式，但它们将石生藻类基质作为主要摄食基质，主要摄食藻类和碎屑。来自 SPSPA 的特征性 Caulerpa racemosa var. peltata 仅作为分离的叶片被摄食。我们认为，在孤立的 SPSPA 中，单一物种黑鲷可能在底栖初级生产和更高层次之间发挥独特的作用。需要进一步研究杂食性物种的营养生态学，以更好地了解它们在珊瑚礁系统中的作用，特别是在它们可能发挥关键作用的贫瘠地区。
