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Piscivory in a coral reef fish community

1986; Springer Nature (Netherlands); Linguagem: Inglês

10.1007/978-94-017-1158-6_24

0924-5316

James D. Parrish, James E Norris, Michael W. Callahan, Janice K. Callahan, Eric J. Magarifuji, Robert E. Schroeder,

Marine and fisheries research

The community of demersal, resident reef fishes of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands was studied to determine the various roles of fishes within the piscivorous trophic subweb. Relative abundance estimates for 160 fish species were made on the basis of extensive visual censuses and four chemical collections. Diet information was collected by gut analysis of 52 piscivorous species from 16 families. Twenty species were termed major piscivores and 32 minor piscivores. Twelve to 31% of the biomass of the entire fish community at the four chemical stations was piscivorous. The Apogonidae, Labridae, Mullidae, Scorpaenidae, Pomacentridae, Holocentridae and Gobiidae were the most important prey families, providing over 70% of all prey. The families producing largest piscivorous impacts were the Muraenidae, Synodontidae, Congridae, Labridae, Scorpaenidae, Holocentridae, Priacanthidae and Cirrhitidae. Several families contained a number of intermediate level species whose combination of relatively high abundance, moderate degree of piscivory, and substantial vulnerability to predation gave them a wide trophic scope and an important place in the total trophic activity. The quantitative approach used here to analyze community trophics by estimating predation by and upon whole interacting populations offers promise for improved understanding of these complex systems.