Parrotfish functional morphology and bioerosion on SW Atlantic reefs

Author(s)

Lellys, Nicole Tiburcio ^[1] ; de Moura, Rodrigo Leao ^{[2, 3]} ; Bonaldo, Roberta Martini ^[4] ; Francini-Filho, Ronaldo Bastos ^[5] ; Gibran, Fernando Zaniolo ^[6]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Santa Cruz, BR-45662900 Ilheus, BA - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Biol, BR-21944970 Rio De Janeiro, RJ - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Rio de Janeiro, SAGE COPPE, BR-21944970 Rio De Janeiro, RJ - Brazil

^[4] Univ Estadual Campinas, Grp Hist Nat Vertebrados, BR-13083862 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[5] Univ Fed Paraiba, Ctr Ciencias Aplicadas & Educ, BR-58297000 Rio Tinto, Paraiba - Brazil

^[6] Univ Fed ABC, Ctr Ciencias Nat & Humans, BR-09606070 Sao Bernardo Do Campo, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: MARINE ECOLOGY-PROGRESS SERIES; v. 629, p. 149-163, OCT 24 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Parrotfishes (Labridae: Scarini) have jaws formed by teeth fused into a beak-like structure in most species, and are classified into 3 functional groups (browsers, scrapers and excavators) based on jaw morphology, foraging behavior and feeding impact on the benthos. We compared the feeding morphology of 3 parrotfish species in the Abrolhos Bank, SW Atlantic. We also estimated rates of bioerosion caused by the largest and most abundant parrotfish in the region, Scarus trispinosus, and compared them to literature estimates from 12 species. The 3 studied species differed in dentary, suspensorium and mouth/head height. Large (>40 cm) Sc. trispinosus individuals were functionally classified as excavators because of their body size, robust premaxilla and jaws with simple joints, in addition to the large proportion of their bites leaving pronounced marks on the substratum. Large (>40 cm) adult Sparisoma amplum were also classified as excavators because of their mouth/head height, dentary and suspensorium size and robust jaws (dentary) with simple joints. Sc. zelindae had the most mobile jaw among the 3 species and was functionally classified as a scraper, as were juveniles or initial phases of the other 2 species. Body size and feeding rates of Sc. trispinosus were positively correlated with the volume of substratum removed, with large adults removing 207 cm(3) d(-1) and eroding similar to 75 500 cm 3 yr(-1). Our results reinforce the importance of studies on jaw morphology and osteology for the assessment of parrotfish feeding modes, and indicate that large adult Sc. trispinosus and Sp. amplum play unique roles as excavating fishes in the Abrolhos Bank. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/19079-9 - Key-macroherbivores: what is the importance of the Labridae and Acanthuridae fishes (Actinopterygii) for the dynamics and resilience of Abrolhos reef system?
• Grantee: Fernando Zaniolo Gibran
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 12/24432-4 - Do feeding interactions of reef fishes persist on degraded coral reefs?
• Grantee: Roberta Martini Bonaldo
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral