Approximation to the diet of Thalassoma lucasanum (family Labridae) in the coral reef of La Azufrada, Gorgona Island, Eastern Tropical Pacific
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25268/bimc.invemar.2020.49.SuplEsp.1041Keywords:
Coral reef fish, Stomach content, Trophic interactions, Colombian PacificAbstract
The Cortez rainbow wrasse, Thalassoma lucasanum, is an abundant reef fish of the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP). Unlike other species of the genus Thalassoma that are recognized as cleaners, in T. lucasanum this behavior is rare, since it feeds mainly on invertebrates through foraging. However, information on the trophic ecology of this species is limited, especially in the ETP. In this study, we characterize the feeding habits of T. lucasanum in Gorgona Island (ETP) from analyzing its gut contents and calculating its trophic niche. Mollusks were the main food resource of T. lucasanum, being this the most important and frequent prey item found in 100 % of the stomachs analyzed (n = 5). In terms of biomass, crustaceans had the greatest contribution to the diet, which positioned them as the second most important food item. Other prey items included polychaetes, fish parts, and calcareous material. This study contributes to the
knowledge of the trophic dynamics of coral reef ecosystems of the ETP.
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Copyright (c) 2020 Stephania Palacios Narváez, Dra. Bellineth Valencia, Dr. Alan Giraldo
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